A few days ago our very kind neighbors gave us a bag of apples. They were quite a lot and we knew we wouldn't be able to eat it all of it in one go so I had to think of other ways to enjoy these juicy apples. I have made several recipes using apples before and didn't fancy simply re-creating them. I was suddenly in the mood for doing something I haven't done yet.

I know that my little boy is crazy about apple crisp and a lady from our church makes the tastiest and most amazing apple crisp - the best I have tried. When she brought over her apple crisp for our ladies' fellowship I asked her what she added in her recipe that made it so fresh and truly flavorful. She kindly told me she used fresh lemon juice and a combo of cinnamon and nutmeg. The best part for me was that her recipe was also completely gluten-free which means my whole family could enjoy it as one of us are trying to do a more wheat-free diet. And so I set to re-create her amazing apple crisp and I believe I did it - well, the measurement may not be exactly the same but the delicious sweet-tangy flavors are certainly there!

What I did was really used a lot of lemon juice. While other recipes called for perhaps just a little tiny bit of lemon juice, if at all, I used the juice of an entire lemon (quite smallish) or roughly 2 tablespoons at least. I also upped the cinnamon to 2 teaspoons and used 1/2 a teaspoon of nutmeg. I know this amount may seem a lot for just 4 apples but trust me, once it's all baked and done - the flavors just truly sing and especially when you enjoy the crisp with a little cream (I prefer this!) or ice cream. What a delicious contrast of flavors and because the apples are strongly flavored - it doesn't get lost in the ice cream - it's still quite prominent and so yummy!

Instead of simply layering the oat mixture on top of the apples, I gently mix the topping and filling here and there (see photo above) - not entirely. This is to ensure the apples don't get too gooey or mushy when baked. But, this is a matter of style so it's totally optional. You can simply just dump the oat topping on top of the apples and be done with it.

And the result is a delicious apple crisp which not only has the signature crunch but is truly full of flavors - sweet, fruity with a hint of lemony tang and perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, too. You definitely must enjoy this warm and drizzled on top with either some pouring (heavy) cream or ice cream! Pure heaven!

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Best Apple Crisp

By: Manila Spoon
November 4, 2015



Sweet, fruity with a hint of lemony tang and perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg this Apple Crisp is simpy the best! Completely gluten-free, too.

Ingredients

• 4 large Granny Smith or other tart apples (5 if using smalled apples), peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces
• 1/3 cup Honey (or your favorite sweetener)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Lemon juice (or juice of one small lemon) plus its zest
• 2 teaspoons ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
• 1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup Almond meal or all purpose gluten-free flour
• 1/2 cup sliced Almonds
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 6 tablespoons Butter, melted (salted or unsalted is fine)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). In a bowl, mix together the apples, honey, lemon juice and zest, cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer to a square baking dish (like a 9x9).
2. In the same bowl, mix together the oats, almond meal and sliced almonds, brown sugar and the melted butter.
3. Evenly sprinkle the oat mixture on top of the apples. Gently mix the topping with the apple filling, if desired. I do the latter as I want chunky rather than goeey apples. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and nicely browned on top and the apples have softened. Serve warm with a little pouring (heavy) cream or if feeling indulgent, your favorite vanilla ice cream! For me, the cream or ice cream should not be optional so just do it!!!

Yield: 6-8 Servings
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cooking Time: 35-45 Minutes
Total Time: 50-60 Minutes