I really enjoy recipe challenges (hence my participation in groups such as The Daring Kitchen, Foodie Fights, and food52).
So I’m trying something a little different this month with a self-challenge of sorts. My assignment to myself is this: blog 26 recipes on 26 days this month, with each recipe inspired by one of the 26 letters of the alphabet!
The idea to do this came from the September 2009 issue of Gourmet Magazine. It’s a great issue that featured a “seasonal cookbook” with recipes from A-Z. The recipes in the magazine look fantastic, and I may end up adapting a few of them …thanks to Gourmet for the inspiration, and we’ll see if I can make this happen.
Since I’m going to be posting a recipe just about every day this month, let’s go ahead and get started with the letter “A”, and a recipe for apple almond crisp!
I never thought my enjoyment of Fujis would be surpassed, but it has…I’ve fallen in love with a new type of apple, the Honeycrisp. Honeycrisp apples are my favorite eating apple, and it turns out they also make a delicious apple crisp.
The struesel topping is flour/wheat/gluten-free as it’s made with almond flour. You can make your own almond flour by briefly blending almonds in a high-speed blender. Blanched (skin-free) almond flour is also available in many health foods stores and online. Bob’s Red Mill is a good brand. If you don’t want to buy or make almond flour or if you don’t eat nuts or if you just prefer to make a more traditional topping, you can substitute an equal amount of organic wheat or spelt flour for the almond flour.
In addition to being a gluten-free recipe, this is also a relatively low sugar dessert (and you can reduce the sugar even further, if you like). I didn’t do a ton of spices in here, because my kids prefer things simple, but you could add a little ground cloves or ginger to the apples if you like
One thing to keep in mind is that it does take a while for Honeycrisp apples to really soften when baking (I baked this crisp for just over an hour). They do retain their shape when cooked, though (instead of becoming apple mush!).
Apple Crisp Recipe with Almond Struesel Topping
For the almond struesel topping :
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup organic brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
For the apples:
5 Honeycrisp apples, preferably local, peeled and sliced (or use your favorite local baking apples!)
1/4 cup organic sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
juice of 1/2 orange
splash of apple brandy or regular brandy- optional
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Mix almond flour, cinnamon and salt together. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender (or 2 knives, or with clean hands) so that the topping resembles course crumbs. Set aside.
Combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, orange juice, and optional brandy in a bowl. Mix well. Pack into a deep oven-proof baking/serving pie dish.
Spoon struesel topping over the apples. Bake in preheated oven for 55-65 minutes or until apples are soft and bubbling and the topping is crisp. Serve with homemade whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.
Related Posts I Think You’ll Enjoy:
Another healthy apple crisp recipe from Healthy Green Lifestyle
More Gluten-Free Almond Flour Recipes from Elana’s Pantry
Apple Crisp from Simply Recipes
