Day 299 - Apple Crisp

I made the Apple Pomegranate Crisp last month, but I absolutely have to share this one.
My mother-in-law made it while we were visiting over Christmas and we all just loved it.
So here it is, an apple crisp recipe unlike any I've ever had.
Again, I halved the recipe because I'm still using the @%$^&# toaster oven, but the original called for a 9 X 13-inch baking dish.
Now THAT'S a lot of apple crisp!

Apple Crisp - serves 4

2 1/2 apples
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups light brown sugar
6 tablespoons rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/4 sticks butter, melted
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare an 8 X 8-inch baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl combine salt, flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and mix well.

Add butter and mix until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Reserve 1 cup and set aside for topping.

Core, peel and dice the apples.  Place into a large bowl.  Sprinkle with lemon juice.

In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch, sugar, and salt.  Mix well.
Whisk in water and heat to to boiling over medium-high heat.  Continue cooking until mixture forms a thick paste.  Remove from heat.

Add vanilla to heated mixture and stir.
Pour over apples and toss to coat.

Add flour/butter mixture to coated apples and thoroughly combine.

Pour into prepared baking dish and cover with reserved 1 cup of topping.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until top is golden brown.

I rate everything I bake on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best and this Apple Crisp earned 4 rolling pins.
This is definitely unlike any other apple crisp I've had.
Why do I feel like I've said that before?  ;-)

I think it's due to the cornstarch mixture because everything else is practically the same.  I did make a few minor adjustments to the recipe my mother-in-law gave me, but it was the addition of the cinnamon and lemon juice which I've used in other recipes.  So it couldn't have been that.
I don't know, this was just really, really good apple crisp.
Especially with the addition of some vanilla bean ice cream on top.
Oh, yummy, yum, YUM!!
Apple Crisp is one of my absolute favorite desserts and this one was no exception.
Go out and buy those apples.
Make this.
Seriously.
And enjoy it!

I wish everyone a happy, healthy, and a very blessed 2012.  May it be everything you desire and more.
I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!