Get creative with your apple crisp

There’s plenty of crunchy crisp atop the sliced apple foundation – even for crisp lovers who claim to never get enough.

Ingredients
8 cups sliced peeled apples (2 L; about 6 large, 2 1/2 lb/1.25 kg)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 mL)
2 tbsp all-purpose flour (25 mL)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (2 mL)

Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour (250 mL)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar (175 mL)
1/2 cup butter, softened (125 mL)

Preparation

• Grease 8-inch (2 L) square glass baking dish; set aside.
• In large bowl, toss together apples, sugar, flour and cinnamon. Arrange evenly in prepared baking dish.
• Topping: In separate bowl, whisk flour with brown sugar. Using fork, mash in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apple mixture.
• Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until bubbly, topping is golden and fruit is translucent and tender, about 1 hour. Serve warm. (Make-ahead: Let cool. Set aside for up to 8 hours. Reheat to serve.)

Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING: about 428 cal, 3 g pro, 16 g total fat (10 g sat. fat), 72 g carb, 3 g fibre, 41 mg chol, 120 mg sodium. % RDI: 4% calcium, 13% iron, 14% vit A, 7% vit C, 22% folate.

Variations
Almond cherry crisp: Replace apple mixture with 4 cups (1 L) drained thawed pitted sour cherries or pitted fresh black cherries, 2 cups (500 mL) diced peeled apples, 1/3 cup (75 mL) granulated sugar, 3 tbsp (50 mL) all-purpose flour for sour cherries (or 2 tbsp/25 mL for black cherries) and 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice. Add 3/4 cup (175 mL) slivered almonds to topping.

Pear cranberry crisp (shown above): Replace apple mixture with 4 cups (1 L) sliced peeled pears, 2 cups (500 mL) fresh or frozen cranberries, 1/4 cup (50 mL) liquid honey and 2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour. Add 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped pecans to topping.

Plum apple crisp: Replace apple mixture with 4 cups (1 L) sliced plums, 2 cups (500 mL) sliced peeled apples, 1/3 cup (75 mL) packed brown sugar and 2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour.

Strawberry rhubarb crisp: Replace apple mixture with 4 cups (1 L) sliced fresh or thawed frozen rhubarb, 2 cups (500 mL) halved strawberries, 1/3 cup (75 mL) packed brown sugar and 2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour.

Visit CanadianLiving.com for more great recipes.

Read more in Recipes and From Scratch