I sometimes resist making apple crisp because, well, it’s just so easy. I would rather spend my time making a recipe that will challenge me or show off some difficult technique that I had spent months mastering. My husband, poor man, just wants an apple crisp for dessert sometimes. Indeed, in my husband’s pantheon of desserts, apple crisp resides in the elite Hall of Fame. But it’s so damn simple, he could probably just make it himself. If I ever let him in the kitchen that is.
Few simple desserts are as delicious and as seasonal as an apple crisp is in the fall. This recipe is handy to have in your back pocket for when you have unexpected company or just want to treat your family to something special. It hardly takes any time to come together. But if you know that you really will be in a hurry at dinner time, you can even make the crisp topping in advance and store it in the freezer until you are ready to bake.
I happened to have a mix of pears and apples in my refrigerator from my Door to Door Organics delivery when I made this crisp, so I combined them for added interest. The apples hold together while the pears tend to break down, creating a nice balance of crunch and softness. You could certainly make this crisp with all apples if you do not have any pears on hand. I would not make it with all pears, however, because of their higher liquid content. I think an all-pear filling would be mushy and the delicate flavor of the pears would be overwhelmed.
If you are able to plan in advance, try soaking the dried cranberries in brandy for a few hours. They will plump up and absorb the boozy flavor, adding a extra layer of sophistication to your crisp. This is a trick I learned from one of my favorite cookbooks, one I have praised many times before, Rustic Fruit Desserts. That book has a recipe for an apple crisp with brandy-soaked currants that was the inspiration for this crisp.
So go ahead and make a homemade dessert for your family this week. With a recipe as simple as this one, you do not need to wait for a holiday or special occasion.
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup brandy (optional)
- Crisp topping:
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup (4 oz) butter, melted
- Fruit filling:
- 4 firm apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and sliced
- 4 pears, such as Bartlett, peeled, cored and sliced
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 TB all-purpose flour
- Juice of ½ lemon
- If time permits, soak the dried cranberries in the brandy for several hours until plump.
- Preheat the oven to 375 and grease a 9x9 square baking pan.
- To make the crisp topping, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir with a fork to combine.
- Pour the melted butter over the dry ingredients and stir with the fork until well combined. Place in the freezer while you prepare the fruit filling, or until ready to use.
- Combine the apple and pear slices in a medium bowl. Toss with the sugar, flour, and lemon juice.
- Pour the fruit into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Top with the dried cranberries.
- Spread the crisp topping over the fruit.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until the topping is browned and the filling bubbling.
- Serve with creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream
