It’s apple-pickin’ time! We visited a Maine orchard last weekend and picked about 40 pounds of organic McIntosh, Cortland, Jonagold and Fameuse Snow (an heirloom parent of the McIntosh). I used a mix of Cortland, Macs and Jonagold in this apple crisp. A traditional New England dessert that appeared on every school lunch menu until authorities determined that serving dessert at school is a bad thing, apple crisp is a favorite fall comfort food. It’s easy to prepare but tricky: Apple crisp can be apple soggy if you use the wrong apples or not enough flour in the topping. If you choose McIntosh apples exclusively, the result is likely to be mush because these apples cook down to almost nothing. They are great for applesauce. Cortlands are among the best for cooking because they retain their shape. Jonagolds can be dry. I find a combination of apples works well. However, if I had to pick just one for baking, it would be Cortland.
Five or six large apples (about 2 pounds)
1 cup flour
½ cup old-fashioned oats
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt (cut in half if using salted butter)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 stick cold butter, diced
To make topping: mix flour, oats, sugars, salt and spices. Add butter and cut in with pastry cutter, two knives or fingers. (I start with a pastry cutter and end up using my hands.) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using butter wrapper, grease the inside of an 8-inch-square or similar baking dish. Peel and slice apples about a quarter-inch thick. Fill baking dish, leaving some headroom for the topping. Cover apples with topping.
Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, or until topping is browned and apples are bubbly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Serves six.
