Basic Recipe for Apple Crisp

If you love apples, you might really enjoy an apple crisp. Apple crisps, also called "apple crunches," are like apple pies without the crusts. This saves you calories and preparation time, but you don't lose the apple taste.

Recipe for Apple Crisp
One of the advantages of making apple crisp is that it is really easy to make. Basic apple crisp ingredients include:

• Apples
• Brown sugar
• Rolled oats
• Cinnamon
• Lemon juice
• Butter

Since you will not have to make pastry dough, you won't have to worry about cutting shortening into flour, a real challenge when making pies. All that you will need basic cooking items such as a pie pan, measuring cups, a mixing bowl, a spatula, and a sharp knife. You still may prefer using a pastry cutter to mix your butter, sugar, flour and oats, but it is not critical to the success of your dessert.

Easy Apple Crisp
Ingredients You Will Need:
Filling:
4 cups of peeled, cored and sliced tart apples, usually about 4 medium apples
1 tablespoon of lemon juice, preferably fresh

Topping:
½ cup flour
¾ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup rolled oats
?" cup soft butter
¾ teaspoon cinnamon

While your oven is preheating, grease an 8-inch square baking pan using your preferred method. Toss your sliced apples with the lemon juice until the slices are coated, and then spread them in the pan.

Mix together the flour, sugar, oats, butter and cinnamon in a medium bowl until completely blended, there are no visible bits of butter and the mix is crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples.

Bake for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. You will know that your apple crisp is ready when the apples are tender and the topping is a yummy golden-brown color.

For extra decadence, serve your apple crisp hot with vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream.

Variations
Once you get the hang of making apple crisp, you can make several changes to the basic recipe to change flavors. One simple way to punch up apple crisp is to add more cinnamon or nutmeg to the recipe. In addition, you could add chopped pecans or walnuts to the topping for a "nuttier" flavor. Finally, adding some vanilla to the apples can add another layer of subtle taste to your apple crisp.

Some cooks swear by using rolled oats instead of the quick-cooking rolled oats variety. They like the flavor and texture better. Try the old-fashioned oats one time and the quick-cooking oats another time, and decide which you prefer.

Instead of using one variety of apples, combine several types for a different taste. In addition, you can add other seasonal fruits, such as raspberries or blueberries to your apple crisp. If you can't find fresh berries, look for frozen ones. Simply defrost the berries, and drain them before you use them. Another variation is to include raw cranberries before you cook your dessert.

If you find the topping a little too heavy for your taste, you can make it "lighter" by eliminating the rolled oats. Of course, you will have to adjust the amount of flour that you use.