Apple crisp

[Nerdgirl]

I made THE BEST apple crisp on the weekend. I had been hoping to find a good recipe in my old standby, Joy of Cooking, but they seem to have different ideas about what makes a crisp/crumble/whatever you wanna call it. In my opinion, a proper crisp needs some oatmeal in the topping. What does apple crisp mean to you? If you respond, I'll post my newly-invented best recipe for crisp ever...

I miss you guys. I haven't been coming here much since the sad demise of Testing (and, y'know, work has been inSANE). [hug]

[Podgy]

Definitely, oatmeal/granola. And I like a graham cracker crust for the bottom. In-season spy apples are my first choice for the apples, but Fred likes everything super sweet so he prefers that I use red delicious.

I've missed you too, been wondering how you're doing. [hug]

[bettie]

I just made an apple/blueberry crumble yesterday. I made it up, and the topping definitely had oatmeal in it (it was basically wheat flour, oats, butter, and sugar). I skipped the bottom crust because I didn't feel like making one.

[Cazzle]

Yay crumble! Is oatmeal the same thing as rolled oats? Because that's what I use. I agree, it isn't a proper crumble without oats. They really add to the crunchiness, it's a thing of beauty.

Bottom crust? This is a new and strange concept to me. I just chuck it straight into the bowl/dish and sprinkle the crumble on top.

The real argument of course is do you serve it with cream or custard?

[MdmeAlbertine]

For me, apple crisp is incomplete without cheese.

[BigEvil]

Free sample or it didn't happen...

[JupiterAmy]

Apple crisp is my second favorite dessert food after pumpkin pie. But, um. I use butter crumbs. Not oatmeal. Not that I have anything against oatmeal. I am, in fact, immensely fond of it. But never the twain should meet.

[bettie]

For me, apple crisp is incomplete without cheese.

I think you should know that after I read this I was compelled to eat a huge block of cheddar cheese.

[Nerdgirl]

Yet more variations! Bottom crust? Cheese? Wacky!

For me, the fruit goes straight on the bottom. I peeled and sliced about 10 apples (Macintoshes this time, though Spys are best) and mixed them with cinnamon and about 1/3 cup of brown sugar. The topping was the new part - crispiest ever. All measurements are approximate.

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
cinnamon to taste

Chop butter into dry ingredients until it's in small (pea-sized) pieces. Don't overmix. Sprinkle topping over apples. Bake at 350F for 50 minutes. Mmm!

[mgan]

Yet more variations! Bottom crust? Cheese? Wacky!

For me, the fruit goes straight on the bottom. I peeled and sliced about 10 apples (Macintoshes this time, though Spys are best) and mixed them with cinnamon and about 1/3 cup of brown sugar. The topping was the new part - crispiest ever. All measurements are approximate.

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
cinnamon to taste

Chop butter into dry ingredients until it's in small (pea-sized) pieces. Don't overmix. Sprinkle topping over apples. Bake at 350F for 50 minutes. Mmm!

That's about what I use. My Fannie Farmer also has (to me) a strange topping. I also add some cinnamon to the tossed apples.