An apple dessert made from apples and has a delicious crunchy crust on top is called apple crisp in the United States. It is called by the name apple crumble in Britian and both use apples, butter, brown sugar or granulated sugar, flour or oatmeal, cinnamon, and other spices to make a delectable apple crisp recipe. This is a type of peasant dish only being presented to families and never served during the holiday or when guests come to call.

Sometimes apple crisp is mistaken for a few other desserts using apple. An apple pudding that is made by layers of apples and sweetened crumbs of bread or saltines with a sauce is called Apple Brown Betty. Another dessert that is similar is Apple cobbler, also called apple grunt, slump or pandowdy that places biscuit dough over the apples and baked.

The first apple crisp recipe was published in the first edition of the Fannie Farmer Cooking book in’96 but it suspected that it was made for families centuries before. This dish is traditionally made during the autumn season mainly because of the abundance of apples during this time. It can also be made with canned apples at any time of the year. There are variations on it that use whatever fruit might be available during the season such as berries or peaches.

Certain apples are needed to make apple crisp. These apples are firm so that they won’t become mushy during the cooking process and they are also very tart. The types of apples that are great for making apple crisp are Northern Spye, Winesap, Granny Smith, McIntosh and Jonathan apples.

A simple version of apple crisp can be made using 6 large apples that have been peeled and sliced, three fourths cup rolled oats, one half cup brown sugar packed, one half cup flour, one half teaspoon cinnamon and six tablespoons of room temperature butter. You would core, peel and slice the apples and place them in the bottom of a 9 inch square baking dish that has been buttered so they won’t stick. In a bowl the other ingredients would be combined and mixed with a pastry cutter or forks to resemble fine crumbs and then spread over top. It would be cooked in a 350 degree F oven for about 30 minutes then removed to cool slightly. It should be cut into squares and served warm with vanilla ice cream over top. Some people prefer whipped cream over top.

Another version adds some cheese to the ingredients. A traditional dish is apple pie and a slice of Cheddar cheese and this recipe is based upon that tradition. You will need 6 apples that have been cored, peeled and sliced; one third teaspoon of cinnamon, six teaspoons apple juice, one half stick of butter, three fourths cup sugar, one teaspoon lemon juice, one eight teaspoon salt, one half cup flour, and one fourth pound grated Cheddar cheese. Again the apples should be sliced and placed in a nine inch square baking dish. The cinnamon should be sprinkled over top and then the apple juice and lemon juice added. In a bowl the butter should be at room temperature and be cut into the flour with a pastry cutter or fork. The sugar and salt are added next and then the shredded cheese. The mixture should be crumbly and is placed over the apple mixture. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 40 minutes until it is bubbling and crust is crisp. Let this version cool a little but serve warm and you can serve with ice cream.

Sometimes you just don’t have any apples but there is a wealth of zucchini that you have picked from your garden. Zucchini can be used instead of apples to make a crisp that tastes like apple crisp. Take five cups of peeled and seeded zucchini and slice it about the size of an apple slice and you will also need to use a fourth cup of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, three fourths of a cup of apple cider. Put this all in a saucepan and bring it to the boiling point then lower the temperature and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until the zucchini becomes tender. Put it in a greased deep dish pie pan. Combine 6 tablespoons butter at room temperature, one fourth of a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon baking powder, a cup of flour and one half of a cup of brown sugar in a bowl. Use a pastry cutter or fork and cut the mixture so that it looks like fine meal then spoon it over the apple mixture. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven and serve it warm with ice cream. This tastes just like apple crisp.

Try making one of these recipes for your family during the autumn when apples ripen. If they haven’t had it before they will ask for it again and again. If you have made apple crisp before try making the one with cheese to surprise your family or try the one with zucchini and amaze your family that a vegetable can taste like apples. Apple crisp should be a dessert your family looks forward to once summer is over and fall descends with cool winds and apple crops.

Eric loves to make apple crisp and this is why he runs a whole website to recipe for apple crisps where you can learn how to make apple crisp.