Apple Crisp

I found this recipe on MarthaStewart.com and it looked warm and festive so I decided to give it a try! I usually bake brownies, cookies, breads, and muffins so this pushed me a bit out of my comfort zone. The preparation took some time but in the end it was all worth it. As this tasty dessert was baking in the oven, the whole house was filled with aromas of warm apple and cinnamon. This Apple Crisp is a heavenly warm dessert during the winter!

 

¾ cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)

¼ cup packed light-brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

3 pounds apples, such as Empire, Gala, or Braeburn, peeled, cored, & cut into ½ inch chunks

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Cut butter into flour, using a pastry blender or two knives, until mixture is the texture of coarse meal. Add oats, and use your hands to toss and squeeze mixture until large, moist clumps form. Transfer to freezer to chill while you prepare apples. 
    
2. In another large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice, cinnamon, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Transfer to a shallow 2-quart baking dish, and sprinkle with topping mixture. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until golden and bubbling, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
   

A couple notes:

The recipe calls for ½ cup granulated sugar to be tossed into the apple mixture. I only used ¼ cup and I am happy I did. The taste was a perfect mixture of sweet and tart. More sugar might have overpowered the apples.

Enjoy!