- Prep time
- 15
- Cook time
- 60
- Skill level
- Medium
- Serves
- 6
This apple crisp offers peak comfort, with baked apples perfumed with a heady chai spice mix that's blanketed by a nutty, crumbly oat topping.
With a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this is a classic cool weather dessert, but also consider enjoying it for breakfast, with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.
What's the difference between crisp and crumble?
The two desserts are similar, but for me the difference is in the oats.
Where a crumble topping is usually made of flour, butter, sugar (called a "streusel" in baking), the foundation of a crisp topping is rolled oats, used in a higher ratio to flour.
Nuts are optional but add more texture, amplifying the "crisp" after which it is named.
Tips:
- Any variety of apple can be used in this recipe. Tart Granny Smith work well, as do sweeter varieties like Pink Lady, Fuji and Royal Gala. The best flavour is achieved by mixing your varieties — I particularly enjoy using Granny Smiths mixed with Pink Ladies, which gives a pleasing tart-sweet flavour. Choose firmer apples and steer clear of soft, mealy or mushy ones.
- A DIY spice mix you can scale up: The chai spice mix, intense with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and black pepper, brings out the fruitiness and earthiness of apples. If you like, make it in bulk and keep it in an airtight container in your pantry, so it can be easily added to cakes, pancakes or cookies.
- How to get a super crisp topping: This recipe features a simple technique I use to ensure a super crisp topping — the oat topping is pre-baked separately, which gives it an opportunity to crisp up without the added moisture of the apples. It is only added to the apples in the final 10 minutes, just enough time to crisp up, without the risk of burning.
- Try the topping with different nut: Walnuts, pecans, pistachios or hazelnuts would work well too.
- The oat topping can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the freezer: After the initial 10 minute bake, allow to cool and then store in an airtight container or sealed bag in the freezer. It can be added to the apples from frozen — remember to increase the final baking time slightly to 15 minutes.
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Ingredients
Method
- 1.Preheat oven to 200˚C. Arrange shelves in the middle and bottom of the oven.
- 2.To make the chai spice mix, place the ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and pepper in a bowl, and stir to combine.
- 3.Place the apples into a baking dish (mine measured 23 x 33cm) and add the sugar, 3½ teaspoons of the chai spice mix, cornflour, lemon juice and vanilla, and toss well to evenly coat the apples. Cover with foil.
- 4.In another baking dish or small baking tray, add the oats, flour, sugar, butter, salt, almonds and the remaining 2 teaspoons of chai spice mix, and toss to combine. Make sure that the oats and flour are hydrated. Pat it out into a single layer.
- 5.Place the crisp topping on the bottom shelf of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Place the apples in the middle shelf and back for 45 minutes.
- 6.When the crisp is ready, take out of the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Break up any large clumps. Set aside until the apples are ready.
- 7.Remove the apples from the oven, discard the foil, and reduce heat to 190˚C. Top with the crisp, covering all of the apples, and return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, until the top is golden and apples are juicy and tender.
Posted