One of the sweet things about writing this blog is the extent to which my nearest and dearest enable me by reading, taste-testing and buying me new and exciting old books to try. Today’s recipe is taken from Betty Crocker’s Dinner for Two:
Everything about this book is brilliant, it‘s a first edition from 1958, spiral bound and bought in North Carolina by a friend on a road/llama farming trip. It’s full of joyous illustrations by Charles Harper. This one caught my attention as it looks quite like me, if I dyed my hair blonde and set it and wore dresses round the house, as opposed to a ponytail, glasses and threadbare tracksuit bottoms:
Right, apple crisp. I had no idea what this was before I read the recipe (to me the name conjures visions of dried apple slices) but it’s actually very similar to things I’ve made in the past, though I normally season the fruit, not the topping and use flour or oats, not both.
I made three times the quantity listed (plenty of apples around this year), which filled a 8″ by 5″ by 1.5″ dish, so I shall approach all future container recommendations in this book with scepticism. As I made a larger version, I had to cook it for a slightly longer but I actually cooked it for slightly too long and burnt one corner. (I know, you’re shocked.)
Results
The topping had a strong spicy caramel flavour and baked into a mixture of small crumbley pieces and large crunchy chunks, complementing the plain, juicy apple. A little less butter would make the dish softer, lighter and tidier to serve, if that’s a priority in your life. The amount of cinnamon and nutmeg listed is absolutely perfect (to my palate), so top marks for that, Far Westerners.
Crisped by Elly
What strange ferny leaves that plant has in the illustration; can it really be growing apples?
Salada, I thought it was a tomato plant?! Who knows.
Ah – so it didn’t accompany the apple crisp recipe. It’s a lot tidier than my tomato plants – but mine don’t have to be controlled in a window-sill pot.
Great variation on apple crumble, btw.
It does look remarkably like you should all the above-listed adjustments ever be made. (I now have a weird compulsion to try to convince you to make this happen. Just once….)
Also this is almost exactly what I made with my apples too! Just not from a recipe. It was delish as blogged.
Oh, I want this in my house (along with the spiffing dress in the illustration).