A recipe from October 2003 Bon Appétit is a favorite standby dessert in our house. I doubled the recipe and tweaked it by macerating the dried sweetened cranberries and dried sweetened cherries and using whatever apples were in the fridge, and finally adding a whole bag of cranberries from the freezer.
Apple and Cranberry Crisps with Ginger-Pecan Topping
(I doubled this recipe.)
I macerate the 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries and 1/4 cup dried sweetened cherries in 2 tablespoons of Calvados but you can sub apple brandy or even water for 20 minutes.
For filling: 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes.
Add the macerated dried sweetened cranberries and cherries.
Add half a bag of frozen cranberries, if you have them.
Add 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger and 1 tablespoon all purpose flour.
Let stand about 5 minutes until juicy.
Butter a baking dish or individual custard cups, pour filling in and bake at 20 minutes for the individual cups or 30 minutes for large baking dish.
While filling is baking, prepare topping:
In large bowl stir together:
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 teaspoon salt
Rub in 1/2 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes until coarse meal forms.
Mix in 2/3 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped.
Spread topping over hot filling and bake until topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
We didn't have any vanilla ice cream in the freezer but it is wonderful with this dessert.
This dessert is pure comfort food, something we all need now. And it has a lot of fruit in it so that makes it healthy, right?
That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 🤭
My mouth is watering. Bring on the vanilla ice cream:)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, vanilla ice cream is definitely good with it! We ended up melting a pat of butter on top of our serving. And shared with family.
Deleteohhhhh....that looks so good I can almost smell it. With or without ice cream i would dig in and be happy. i
ReplyDeleteIt does smell good! And a good combination of sweet and tart flavors!
DeleteI love sweet and tart together! a balance of yin and yang!
ReplyDeleteand comfort food never tasted as good as it does these days. XOXO
did I mention how absolutely beautiful it is? that last picture for sure!
And an added bonus for me is the crunchiness of the sauteed pecans.
DeleteThank you!
Your apple cranberry crisp looks delish, Dewena, and of course, it's healthy (wink-wink), with all that gorgeous fruit and oats in it! Just the aroma of all that fruity/spicy sweetness floating through Home Hill must have been comforting, enough! Well, almost - no competition between taste and smell, where yummy fare is concerned!
ReplyDeleteWe are on the same tasty wavelength, wouldn't ya know? I was craving a spicy apple/oat cookie/cake consistency for afternoon tea, so I searched my recipes and found the PERFECT solution: an apple oatmeal cake that resembles a 'blondie' in texture. Used the EXACT same spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves - 1/4 tsp each and half brown sugar/half white. It is absolutely delicious! Wanted to let you know to scrap the other recipe I sent you (the breakfast cake which was, in the end, too crumbly), as this is SO much better. Let e know if you want the recipe.
Stay cozy and comfy and healthy and safe!
Poppy xoxo
Thank you! And your apple oatmeal cake sounds delicious. I love a blondie recipe. Yes, please do send it to me!
DeleteOoh, Poppy...I'd like the recipe too, please!
DeleteOh my goodness, that looks sooo good! My mouth is watering. I can just taste this alongside some vanilla ice cream.
ReplyDelete