Essential Apple Crisp
When I feel a hint of fall in the breeze, I am reminded that the time is ripe for apple picking. I can already taste my first mid-season Macoun, an apple that is sweet and tart, juicy and thin skinned. I organize friends and family for daylong outings to pick-your-own farms. Each location has its own personality, some with cider donuts, hot spiced beverages and picnic tables, others with tractor rides, hay mazes, petting zoos and entrance fees. All are best enjoyed early in the day before throngs of other apple pickers arrive. I wear jeans, boots and a flannel, prepared to climb, crouch, reach in and get sticky.
The picture-perfect specimens are often way up high or hiding low among the leaves. The air smells sweet, yeasty and fermenting. Local orchards boast trees with seemingly endless varieties that ripen in quick succession. October’s Empire, Cortland, Jonamac, Mutsu and my favorite Macoun will give way to late-season varieties through November such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Fuji, Winesap and Braeburn. Early season apples such as Honeycrisp and Gala are already in cold storage, their tree limbs bare of fruit. This year’s newcomers have names such as Jellybean Cider, Hella Kitty and Twang, bred for distinct flesh colors, flavors and their ability to hold shape in cooking.
Selecting apples for recipes, I prefer a mix of crisp, more tart than sweet. Applesauce is way more forgiving than pie when it comes to texture. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp and Golden Delicious are reliable choices that are found easily in the market or at farm stands.
I am more comfortable as a savory cook than a dessert maker, but I can wow a crowd with a simple fruit crisp, especially after a day of apple picking. You can, too. Sometimes I’ll mix apples with pears and add a handful of berries or sliced figs.
For Thanksgiving, it’s likely apples and cranberries.
In warmer months, I’ll use peaches, nectarines, apricots or plums instead of apples. It’s all good.
The following recipe is flexible and forgiving, best served warm with lightly sweetened whipped cream or a small scoop of ice cream. Visit pickyourown.org for an apple varieties guide by harvest date, including information about which apple to pick and why.
Essential Apple Crisp
Yield: 6 servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
6 apples, pears or a combination
1 handful of fresh berries (cranberries or raspberries)
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons lemon juice
¾ cup flour
6 tablespoons butter
pinch of salt
Optional:
¼ cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
¼ cup rolled oats
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Peel, core and slice the apples/pears into a bowl. Add the granulated sugar, spices and lemon juice and mix gently to coat.
Add berries and pour into a buttered pie dish or 1-1/2 quart casserole.
In a food processor, blend the brown sugar, flour, salt and butter to a crumbly consistency. Add nuts or oats, if using, and pulse briefly.
Sprinkle over fruit mixture, with some berries peeking out.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is bubbly and brown and the fruit is tender. For additional browning, carefully broil for a minute or two.
Let cool slightly, allowing fruit juices to thicken. Top each portion with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or vanilla or maple ice cream.
NJ Pick-Your-Own Apple Orchards Near SOMA
Note: Before visiting in person, refer to the orchards’ websites for current details.
Alstede Farms – Chester
Battleview Orchards – Freehold
Beemerville Orchard – Sussex
Demarest Farms – Hillsdale
Eastmont Orchards – Colts Neck
Giamarese Farm and Orchards – East Brunswick
Hillview Farms – Gillette
Mackey’s Orchard – Belvidere
Melick’s Town Farm – Oldwick
Ort Farms – Long Valley
Riamede Farm – Chester
Sun High Orchards – Randolph
Terhune Orchards – Princeton
Wightman Farms – Morristown
Ilysse Rimalovski is a well-seasoned home chef, writer and culinary producer living in Maplewood with a background in specialty food, media and design. Have food questions or need inspiration? Visit Ilysse’s Facebook page, Ilysse Ideally or send email to forilysse@icloud.com.
Comments