Vegan Apple Crisp
It's true that a fruit crisp is pretty well naturally vegan. There is nothing special you have to do to veganize it except to substitute a vegan butter. But this Apple Crisp is truly so yummy I wanted to include it as a basic recipe you can depend on when you are having people for dinner.
While late August is when the apple harvest commences in Ontario, you can always get good cooking apples at any time of the year, which makes this recipe a year-round delight. But when the long summer days are coming to an end why not take an outing to pick your own fresh apples and treat yourself to some extra sunshine and natural vitamin D?
This Apple Crisp was made with Ida Reds which hold together well when baked and have that sweet-tart flavour you want with cooked fruit. I also love to use McIntosh, Cortland and Northern Spy apples. They all have a natural tartness that adds zing when baked, and they hold together nicely.
Don't forget that you can easily freeze a crisp before or after it's baked. So whether you are planning a party or not, this is one of those dishes you can prepare well ahead on a day you feel like cooking.
I tend to make two Apple Crisps at a time since I can't resist some immediate gratification and reward for my efforts. The other one goes in the freezer. It's a great idea to keep several of these kind of treats handy so you can throw together a meal for entertaining with hardly any effort at the last moment. You never know when you are going to feel like having friends or family over and it's great to be prepared if they drop in unexpectedly.
People these days are always in such a hurry and it's become the norm to grab something at the local bakery when you have guests. It's very handy, and you can get some pretty delicious store-bought food these days. And while it is harder to find excellent vegan food, please don't think of that as a downer.
To give you a little inspiration, here are several reasons why you would want to get creative in the kitchen. First of all you might discover that it is actually quite fun and relaxing. Second, there is nothing as comforting as the smell you get throughout the house when this dish starts bubbling in the oven! Third, you know exactly what went into the food and how it was prepared. And last but not least you are going to learn the wonderful art of cooking that was natural to our grandmothers and should continue to be passed down to the next generations.
Do we really want a world where all food is commercialized and hardly anyone remembers how to cook? I think we should get back in the kitchen and teach our kids how to prepare really great food!
The Apple Filling
- 11 medium good cooking apples
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp.cinnamon
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
The Topping
- 2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 cup quick cook oatmeal
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cups Earth Balance of other vegan butter, melted
- 1 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack positioned at the bottom third of the oven.
Peel, core, and slice the apples a little less than 1/2 inch thick. Put them in a large bowl and coat with the sugar, salt, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Place the coated apples in a 14 x 10 x 2 inch casserole dish.
Thoroughly combine all of the topping ingredients in another large bowl. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the apples and press down lightly.
Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes until the juice of the apples begins to bubble up and thicken, and the apples are tender when pierced with a fork. If you notice that the juice seems very watery, put the casserole back in the oven and cook another 10 to 15 minutes, being careful not to let the top burn.
If freezing, allow to cool completely before wrapping well with plastic. To reheat, take out of the freezer the night before to thaw, then cook as above. If you are cooking it frozen place in a 250 degree oven until it is warm through, remove from the oven while it reheats to 350 and then cook as above. This prevents the top from getting too brown.
If you froze the casserole uncooked, thaw and cook as directed, or if still frozen put it in the oven at 250 until warm, remove while you preheat oven to 375 degrees and cook as directed above.
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