Salted Caramel Apple Crisp

Recipe From: Laura

1. Apple Season! What to do with all these apples?

2. Pull out apple crisp recipe ... errrrr recipeezzz!

3. So many yums! Which one?

4. Oohhh did someone say caramel ? Salivate. Yes, Ash ! Let's try that one!  :) lol

5. Salted Caramel Apple Crisp is the winner !

 

Sweet -n- simple . Cozy and comforting. A Delightful dessert. These tender baked apples wrapped in a scrumptious buttery cinnamon oat topping drizzled with sweet caramel sauce is where it's at!  Ah, Decadent! Just add a dollop or two of vanilla bean ice cream to the apple crisp --- the perfect ending to your day. 

For the Apple Filling:

10 cups variety of MEDIUM sliced apples (see tips)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 and 1/2 tablespoons organic all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

For the Crumb Topping:

1 cup organic all-purpose flour

1 cup packed organic brown sugar

1/2 cup organic quick-cooking oats

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Garnish

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling, optional

Ice cream, for serving, optional

Salted Caramel Sauce **Recipe Below**

 ------------------------------------------------

Instructions for Apple Crisp:

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees

For the Apple Filling:

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place the sliced apples in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice; set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle this mixture over the apples and toss well to coat. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and set aside while you make the crumb topping.

 

For the Crumb Topping:

In a large bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, pecans, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Sprinkle over apple mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the crumb is golden and the apples are tender.

Drizzle with salted caramel sauce and serve warm, with flaky sea salt and ice cream, if desired

 

TIPS FOR APPLE CRISP SUCCESS:

Don’t slice your apples too thin or they’ll become soggy as they bake. Medium-sized slices will yield the best results.

This salted caramel apple crisp is best served warm, the same day it’s made. However leftovers will keep, covered in the fridge, for 3 days.

I love to use a variety of apples in this dessert like sweet n sour (Granny & Honeycrisp)  but just one type will also work. I find Granny smith, Jonagold, Honeycrisp and Braeburn are all great baking apples.

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

1 cup organic cane sugar

1/2 cup water

4 ounces (1 stick) organic butter

1/2 cup organic heavy cream

1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

 

Whisk together granulated sugar and water in a medium-sized saucepan with tall sides.

Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes, but maybe a little longer depending on your stove.

Add in the butter and bring the mixture to slow boil over medium-heat. Continue cooking until the mixture turns a deep golden brown/copper color, about 9 to 10 minutes, maybe longer depending on your stove. Do not stir during this process!  (see tips below)

Once the caramel reaches this color, remove from heat and immediately add in the heavy cream. Be very careful during this step - the caramel will hiss and bubble up aggressively!

Finally, stir in the vanilla and sea salt. Vigorously whisk the mixture smooth.  Drizzle over warm apple crisp or store caramel in the fridge until needed.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS:

You may make this caramel sauce up to 2 weeks in advance. Just be sure to tightly cover it   and store it in the refrigerator.

 All stoves run a little differently, so be sure to watch the caramel as it evolves, and time accordingly. You might need to add an additional 5 or even 10 minutes to the boil time.

You’re going to want to use a pot with very tall sides, because when you add the cream to the caramel it will bubble up furiously!

Speaking of the pot, be sure to use a high-quality heavy metal pot. Most cheap cookware is very thin and heats unevenly, so avoid using them for caramel since it will burn. I also don’t recommend non-stick pans since high-heat can damage them. Use a double boiler if you dont have a high quality heavy metal pot available. 

Once you’ve added the sugar and water to the pan, you’ll want to whisk them together until combined, then avoid stirring the rest of the time. Instead, occasionally, and gently, tilt the pan side-to-side to help the ingredients cook evenly and avoid burning. This no-stir method helps avoid sugar crystals from forming.

The caramel takes time to develop, so be patient while it boils. You want it to reach a deep golden brown color before removing it from the heat. Removing it too soon can cause gritty caramel.

Once you’ve removed your caramel from the heat you want to add your cream right away!  As mentioned earlier, the mixture will aggressively bubble up, but as long as you used a tall sided pan, it won’t overflow. Be sure to whisk the mixture together well after adding the cream.

Because the caramel is so hot when it comes off the stove, it will look very thin. However once it cools it will thicken up quite a bit. If you’d like to return the caramel to a liquid form, simply reheat it in the microwave or on the stove top.

Be sure to use quality sea salt. I recommend Maldon-- its flaky, flavorful, and easy to find!

Finally, if you burn your caramel… unfortunately no method of saving it. Just toss it and start over again.