Apple Crisp

Filling:

3 pounds whole apples, to yield 2 pounds peeled, cored, and sliced apples (about 9 cups)

1/4 cup apple cider or juice, or water

1/4 to 3/4 cup brown sugar, depending on the sweetness/tartness of your apples

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons boiled cider (optional)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour or tapioca flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick oats

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup brown sugar, light or dark

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into pats

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" x 9" square cake pan, or similar-sized casserole pan.

Slice the apples about 1/4" thick. Toss them with the remaining filling ingredients, and spread them in the pan.

To make the topping, whisk together the flour, oats, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder.  Add the cold butter, working it in to make an unevenly crumbly mixture.  Spread the topping over the apples in the pan.

Set the pan on a parchment- or foil-lined cookie sheet, to catch any potential drips. Bake the crisp for about 60 minutes, until it's bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Remove crisp from the oven, and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. If you serve the crisp hot/warm, it may be quite soft. If you wait till it's completely cool, it will firm up nicely. A good compromise is to wait for it to cool completely, then reheat individual portions briefly in the microwave. Vanilla ice cream is a tasty accompaniment.

Makes 9 to 12 servings.

From King Arthur Flour