It’s officially apple season, and that means it’s Also apple crisp season. While September may be too early in the year for the more formal, buttoned-down apple pie of apple crisp (we save them for Thanksgiving), there’s no reason for all that seasonal fruit to go to waste . Chips (and their oat-free counterpart, crumbles) are an ideal, low-maintenance fallout dessert. But just because they’re simple and straightforward doesn’t mean there aren’t a few tricks that can turn a really good apple crisp into a great one. Here are five of our favorite tips for perfecting this classic fall dessert.
1. Use the right apples
You won’t get very far if you don’t start with the right ingredients. “I love Granny Smiths,” said food editor Emily Ziemski, “but any heartier apple blend (like Mutsu and Honeycrisp) will hold up well to baking.” You’ll want to avoid anything too soft, like a Red Delicious or a McIntosh, she added, as these are likely to disintegrate and become mealy during pastry shop. If you’re not sure, you can’t go wrong with a mix: choosing a variety of apple types will give a range of textures and flavors in each bite, from tart and firm to sweet and jammy.
2. Or don’t just use apples
According to Jesse Szewczyk, beets – among other things – deserve a place in your next crisp. “My favorite dessert to add them to is apple crisp, because it turns out that beets and apples pair perfectly,” he says. “The earthiness of the beets tames the tartness of the apples, and the sweetness of the fruit highlights the natural sugars of the root vegetable.” Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the beets give the dish a bright red shade, reminiscent of “crimson lava”.
3. Toast your oats
Think of toasting oatmeal like you would toast nuts: it brings out all their nutty complexity and gives them a deliciously crunchy texture. Simply spend 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven before assembling your streusel topping. “This simple upgrade is all it takes to bring out an everyday fruit crisp,” says former food editor Emma Laperruque of this brilliantly low-maintenance tip.
4. Choose the right baking dish
The type of dish you choose to cook your chips in can have a huge impact on the final product. If you’re a big fan of the pie filling center, for example, use a smaller, deeper container to maximize the juicy, jammy center. If you prefer streusel over butter and oats (like me), try baking the crisp directly on a baking sheet for a more generous filling/filling ratio. “The apples (or pears or plums) end up being more concentrated, since every piece touches the hot pan,” says Emma. “And the streusel has more room to spread and get crispy.”
5. Follow a formula
When in doubt, we search this simple formula by Sohla El-Waylly. For the filling, use 1,000 grams of fruit, 100 grams of sweetener, and 20 grams of starch (like all-purpose flour or cornstarch). The topping, meanwhile, consists of 1½ cups flour (although you can substitute up to ½ cup of another ingredient of similar texture, such as cocoa powder), ⅔ cup granulated sweetener, ⅔ cup of textural mix (like oats, nuts, cornflakes, etc.), and 10 tablespoons of fat. The best part? This formula works wonderfully for a classic apple crisp, but it’s also totally flexible. Use whatever fruit you like or change it up depending on the season (because chips are great). any of them period of the year).
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