pearls and pasta: Apple Crumble

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Apple Crumble

I'm definitely a dessert girl. My motto is: the more icing or frosting or chocolate, the better!!! I usually don't like fruit as a dessert at all (what's the point of that?!) unless is an apple pie or chocolate covered strawberries. For Christmas dinner this year, I was asked to make the dessert so I figured I'd go as traditional as possible, yet I was vetoed (again!!!) on chocolate. My next idea was to do an apple crumble, especially since we have it every year. For a meal like Christmas, Hanukkah, or Thanksgiving dinner, I suggest that you NEVER deviate from the traditional fixings. You're less likely to make a mistake and piss people off. So apple crumble it was!!! It's more elegant than an apple pie, yet still comforting and delicious. It's bubbly, it's crumbly, and it's simple exquisite with vanilla ice cream (which we had, of course!)

What you'll need (it's a biggie, it'll probably feed about 15-20 hungry people!):
Oval baking dish (any shape will do, but use a white ceramic one)
5 lbs. green apples (granny smith are tart and perfect)

Zest of 1 orange

Zest of 1 lemon

2 tbs. freshly squeezed OJ

2 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tbs. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

For the topping:

1 cup flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar (push it down in the measuring cup)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 pound COLD diced butter (it'll make the top flaky when it's cold)

1. Preheat oven to 350* and grease your baking dish.

2. In a LARGE bowl, juice and zest the lemon and orange and mix in the seasonings (do this before you peel your apples because as you peel them, they'll turn brown.).

3. Peel and core your apples, then cut them into wedges and immediately add them to the juice and seasoning mixture (this will keep them from turning brown).