Recipe #11: Apple Crisp

Today's blog post is celebrating new things!  To include new approaches to old standards.  You can see by the stains that Marjorie's recipe for Apple Crisp is well-loved.  You can now also actually see Marjorie's recipe itself, because I just learned how to enlarge photos.  It's a simple thing, for sure, but I was thrilled to learn it!

Marjorie doesn't specify apple type, but I prefer a tart apple.  Granny Smiths are excellent, but really, anything that's available is a good choice.  Hannaford had these Cortlands on sale.

Bonus for being 100% local in their origin, and many thanks to Randall Orchard for the work that goes into producing such delicious apples!

Now is where I note that I am all for easy.  And, although I own a fabulous apple coring/slicing gizmo, I think apple crisp is good when it's made with apple skins, so I left them.  I just sliced up a pan full of apples.

Then I mixed up the topping.  Marjorie doesn't specify white sugar, so I used brown.  I also incorporated the butter with my handy little Microplane trick.  (Basically, just grate the cold butter instead of digging out the pastry blender.)

Here is where I deviate from Marjorie's dogma.  I used half white flour and half almond meal/flour.  Cousin Linda made an apple crisp this way on a visit home this summer, and I've been a convert ever since.  The difference is subtle, but in a subtly astounding way!  Try it! 

I've started substituting half almond meal for many, many recipes, and the results have all been positive.  (Chicken breasts are especially yummy with a hint of almond.)

I was so excited about the way my kitchen smelled all amazing and like fall with the cinnamon and apples, I forgot to take a snapshot of the cooking process.  But, here is a dim image of the result!  What I love is that this recipe is not over-the-top sweet.  It's a balance of fragrance, and because it's fruit-based, this dessert feels like it's good for you!

Challenge:  Look at your first chapter.  Now change one major detail about your main character.