Caramel Apple Crisple

One oddly named post following another. I realize that I cook a lot of things that don’t fit neatly into a well-known category that bloggers would instantly recognize. I love it though, because I feel like I am inventing something new :) and maybe this will be my blogger thing? Too early in the game to tell, its like when people try and give themselves a nick-name, ugh who does that, so obnoxious right? Hehe.

On to the crisple! I think I am really in the Christmas spirit or something, because this name sounds winter-y and Christmas-y to me. It is merely just my pairing of the word crumble and crisp. Where TMZ concocts Brangelina, I stir up crisple :)

In all seriousness, this recipe came to me from a bit of a mash up as well. I found this brilliant apple crisp recipe on tastespotting probably a couple months ago. I always bookmark things after I make them based on their taste, and also write the recipe in my little cooking journal mess of scribbles. I cannot find the apple crisp in my bookmarks nor can I relocate the website on tastespotting! Mystery blogger wherever you went, thank you for a lovely base to my crisple.

So I had some left over apples from my last trip to the grocery store and usually I make apple chips but I felt like getting a little bit adventurous. I had the apple crisp recipe and saw my jar of salted caramel. I loooooooooooove salted caramel. I always have some on hand for frostings or just a decorative drizzle. I made some dark chocolate salted caramels for a craft fair last month as well that I am selling on Etsy (link to come)

I saw a few recipes here and there of caramel apple pies or crisps, but many of them had store bought caramel, or corn syrup in the filling which I refuse to cook with. So I just decided to experiment with my own :)

I made this dessert for visiting my BFs fire station. I cooked them some crispy tilapia and steamed/roasted veggies :)

Apple Crisple:

Serves about 8 people, or 4 hungry firefighters :)

For the filling:

6 apples*

About 3 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup tapioca flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Homemade salted caramel to drizzle**

*I used 3 organic granny smith and 3 organic golden delicious. I didn’t peel or core them either, just sliced them on the thick setting of my mandolin. If you don’t have a mandolin, stop reading this post and buy one, you will never regret it.

**recipe at bottom :)

For the topping:

¾ cup almond flour

¾ cup gluten free rolled oats

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup cold organic butter

A handful of sliced or slivered almonds

-First assemble the apple filling. I like to use a giant plastic Tupperware style bowl with a lid so that I can shake are the contents. It’s much easier and faster and it actually does a better job than if you were to try to stir around apple slices to coat them. Place the apples in your large bowl and drizzle with lemon juice. Give a quick shake.

-Next assemble the flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small separate bowl and stir, then dump into bowl. Shake the bowl for a bit until you feel all the apples have been coated and there is no free flour hanging around on the bottom of the bowl. Some will be more coated than others but this is fine. Let sit while you make the topping.

-Grab a large bowl, or something with a large surface area bottom. You will be using a pastry cutter and it’s much easier if you have enough room. Mix together the flour, oats, salt and baking powder first. Then slice up the cold butter into chunks and cut into flour mixture with a pastry cutter until all butter chunks are pea sized or smaller. Stir in the almonds.

-Choose a pan for your crisple. I used an extra large ramekin because I think that makes it look nice. It’s around the same size as a 9 inch pie pan.

-To place the apples in the pan I layered them in a spiral design. After each layer drizzle the apples with salted caramel. If you just made the caramel, it’s still liquid enough to use, however if it’s been refrigerated or sitting at room temperature, you’ll need to liquefy it. (about 20 sec in the microwave). At this point how much caramel you use is up to you :)

-After all the apples have been layered, sprinkle the topping mixture on top and place in the oven for about 40 minutes. Mine took probably about 45. Wait until the apples are nice and bubbly :)

You can add caramel sauce to the top if you want but I don’t think it needs it. This is sooooooooo good with some organic vanilla frozen yogurt. Mmmm :)

Salted Caramel:

2 cups organic sugar

1 stick organic butter

1 cup organic heavy cream

around 1 tablespoon salt, or to your taste.

If you know how to make caramel, here is my recipe. If you don't, I will be posting a video how to later :)