GRANNY SMITH APPLE CRUMBLE TART
Our house smells delicious… the aroma of baking apples and cinamon makes me think of autumn, which is appropriate because September is autumn in America, where we live. I made this Apple Crumble with apples from our apple tree.
The tartness of Granny Smith or similiar apples are the key to this pie… the combination of the tarty sweetness and crunchy oat-flecked crumb topping is delicious.
- 3 pounds Granny Smith apples – peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter, finely diced and chilled, plus 2 tablespoons
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups light brown sugar
- ¾ cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Scant ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream, for serving
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
In a large bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice and granulated sugar. In a very large skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the apples and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Scrape the apples into a large baking dish.
Wipe out the bowl. Add the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, salt, cardamom and the butter and, using your fingers, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Press the topping into clumps and scatter it over the apples.
Bake the crisp for 45 to 50 minutes, until the apples are bubbling and the topping is golden.
Let cool, then serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
Recipe and photo: Drienie Hattingh
