Last week we took a day trip to southwest Michigan to go apple picking at a favorite orchard. As my luck would have it, the season for Honey Crisps and Gala Apples ended a week earlier. Seems being late to the party is becoming more than just an emerging trend in my life. However, taking in the spellbinding, vibrant colors in the landscape, meandering through the orchard with my camera, having a light, outdoor lunch and some hard cider at Virtue Cider, and photographing a favorite lighthouse in South Haven more than made up for not being able to actually pick some Honey Crisp or Gala apples off of a tree (we managed to pick up a half-bushel of apples from the orchard). A change in scenery almost always inspires and energizes me. Filled with inspiration and energy I decided to put the twenty pounds of apples we bought to good use sooner rather than later. First up would be some Homemade Applesauce. (If you haven't made it, you should. It's that good.) Not even encountering a road block, aka the unbeknownst to me pandemic shortage of glass Mason Jars, would deter me. After a trip to three different hardware stores I had all the jars I needed and then some.
After a couple of batches of my favorite chunky style, lightly spiced applesauce werege made and jarred up, there were still plenty of apples left over. Needing an outlet for all of that inspiration I was feeling, I thought I needed yet another apple crisp recipe in my life. Three years ago I shared an Apple Crisp recipe influenced by one from Tartine. And seven years ago I shared the recipe for Shirley's Apple Crisp, a beloved family favorite a very dear friend shared with me. While these are two completely different, delicious recipes, they do share at least one thing in common. Neither have oatmeal in the topping. In my delusional world an apple crisp made with oatmeal swings in the direction of a healthy apple crisp. And then, after having a piece of a homemade apple pie made with salted caramel while in Colorado, I knew my next Apple Crisp recipe needed to be one made with both oatmeal and a Salted Caramel Sauce. Yes, let's forget me creating a healthy version of an apple crisp for now (or possibly ever). Instead, let's think about how we all need an apple crisp drizzled in salted caramel sauce, maybe even served with some vanilla ice cream and, for good measure, just a little more luscious salted caramel sauce drizzled on top in our life right now. Because this Apple Crisp with Salted Caramel Sauce is the epic, the drop-the-mic version of an apple crisp. As it has the ideal combinations of tender, slightly sweet, slightly tart apples, a rich, crunchy, spiced oat crisp topping, and the most perfect salted caramel finishing touch.
Technically there are two recipes in this blog post. One for the Apple Crisp and one for the Salted Caramel Sauce. And while the Salted Caramel Sauce is worthy of a post of its' own, I am pairing them together (and you should or rather must too!) here. I am pretty confident once you taste the Salted Caramel Sauce on the apple crisp you are going to want to make the sauce again and again and again. Serve it with apple slices, drizzle it over a batch of brownies, serve it alongside pumpkin pie, create a simple dessert of vanilla ice cream drizzled in Salted Caramel Sauce, or heck, just eat it off a spoon from the jar. The possibilities for this sauce are only limited by your imagination.
But first I need to talk about the Apple Crisp. This one uses equal portions of two kinds of apples: Honey Crisp and Granny Smiths. I happen to love a crisp with a slightly sweet and tart apple flavor. As well as one where the apples don't become mushy in the baking (or reheating) process. Instead of using only granulated sugar in the apple mixture, this one uses brown sugar to give it a depth of flavor granulated sugar doesn't provide (it took me years to learn this secret). Some freshly squeezed lemon juice, kosher salt, cinnamon, and all-purpose flour all get mixed in with the brown sugar and apples to create the base layer of the crisp.
So now let's talk briefly about the top layer, the one having oatmeal as one of the ingredients. To mix the topping together you can either use your hands or a pastry cutter to create the crumbly mixture. Taking the butter out the refrigerator at least 30-60 minutes before you start assembling it makes the process of blending by hand a little easier. Look for your butter to take on a pea sized shape to determine when to stop mixing. Then sprinkle it evenly over the top of the apple mixture. Note: You can also make the crisp topping in a food processor.
The total baking time for the apple crisp ranges from 60-65 minutes. For the first 30 minutes the crisp bakes at an oven temperature of 350 degrees (F) and for the last 30-35 minutes it bakes at 375 degrees (F). As a result the apples bake up incredibly tender while the the top turns golden and crispy.
Not only will you drizzle some of the mouthwatering Salted Caramel Sauce over the baked apple crisp, you will drizzle some over the scoop of vanilla ice cream sitting on top a generous serving of the warm out of the oven apple crisp.
There are a multitude of Salted Caramel Sauce recipes out there. Some are made with as little as four ingredients, some made either with or without water, some are made with varying amounts of butter, and some are made with or without vanilla. In addition to all of the ingredient variations, the techniques for making the sauce also very slightly. Some recommend using a candy thermometer while others recommend you look for color (a medium amber is best) and some add in the butter before the heavy cream while others add it in last. This recipe uses seven ingredients, uses the color technique, and has the butter going in after the heavy whipping cream. But one of the key ingredients to this sauce is the use of a small amount of light corn syrup. It not only adds flavor it greatly contributes to the sauce's final texture. While I haven't tasted every version of a Salted Caramel Sauce out there, I would enter this one in a throw down.
A scoop of vanilla ice cream just adds to the decadence and delicious of this Apple Crisp. It also gives you a reason to drizzle on a little more of that insanely good Salted Caramel Sauce.
The recipe for the Apple Crisp serves 8-10. But you can easily halve the recipe for the crisp. However, whatever you do, don't halve the recipe for the Salted Caramel Sauce.
The benefits of getting in not one, but two change of sceneries in the last several weeks continue. And this Apple Crisp with Salted Caramel Sauce is proof of what happens when new found energy and inspiration come into my life. Note to self: You need to travel (safely) more.
I debated about whether or not to call this Apple Crisp with Salted Caramel Sauce the BEST Apple Crisp with Salted Caramel Sauce recipe. In the end, I decided not to let any unbiased opinions influence me. But you can feel free to call it the BEST Apple Crisp with Salted Caramel Sauce after you taste it. I won't mind at all.
Recipe
Apple Crisp with Salted Caramel Sauce
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
Apple Crisp
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 pounds of apples (recommend using either a combination of Honey Crisp and Granny Smith Apples or all Granny Smith Apples)
1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup (94g) old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup (132g) all-purpose flour
7/8 cup (175g) light brown sugar
1/8 cup (25g) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
9 Tablespoons (127g) unsalted (chilled but not ice cold butter, cut into small cubes)
A really good vanilla ice cream
Salted Caramel Sauce
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 generous Tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, heated to take the chill off
6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, slightly room temperature (just not cold right out of the refrigerator)
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Apple Crisp
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. Peel, core, and slice the apples. Place in a large bowl. Note: Cut the apples into 1/4" rings and cut each ring in half for best results.
3. Add the light brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, Kosher salt, and lemon juice to the apples. Toss to mix. Transfer mixture to 9" x 12" baking dish. Set aside while you make the topping.
4. In a medium sized bowl, add in the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and butter. Using a fork or pastry blender, mix until the butter is pea sized. Even spread the topping over the apples. Note: You can also make the topping in a food processor. Just don't' over process it.
5. Place the baking pan on a large baking sheet. Place the apple crisp in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Then increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees (F) and continue baking for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden and the apples are tender. Total baking time will be approximately 60-65 minutes.
6. Remove from oven. Let sit for 10 minutes.
7. Drizzle with the Salted Caramel Sauce. Spoon into bowls. Top with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. Then drizzle on a little more of the Salted Caramel Sauce.
8. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. Reheat individual servings in the microwave. Note: The apple crisp will be good for up to 5 days chilled and covered in the refrigerator.
Salted Caramel Sauce
1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, add in the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Whisk until all of the ingredients are blended.
2. Over medium-high heat, cook the mixture, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to bubble. Stop stirring and allow the mixture to boil until it turns to a medium amber color. Note: If your sugar mixture gets too dark, your caramel sauce will take on a burnt taste.
3. Remove from the heat and gently pour in the warmed heavy cream. Although it will bubble up furiously, whisk to blend the cream into the sugar syrup. When the mixture is smooth, add the butter and sea salt. Slowly whisk until the butter has melted.
4. Add in the vanilla.
5. Return the pan to the stove top and cook on medium low heat for one minute. Remove from the heat and pour the salted caramel sauce into a heat proof glass jar.
6. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before drizzling over the apple crisp.
7. The Salted Caramel Sauce will keep if covered at room temperature for at least 2 days or chilled in the refrigerator for more than 2 weeks. Reheat the sauce in the microwave before serving.
Apple Orchards, Fennville, Michigan, October 2020
