Apple Crisp
“The next morning arrived with such icy temperatures that their conversation came decorated with frosty breath. Rhianna Jo hurriedly got the fire going and set the enameled coffee pot from the hook hanging above the flames. Once the pre-made apple crisp foil packets had been placed on to a hot stone, she sat down and vigorously rubbed her hands over the small blaze. Knowing that their time was ending, she deeply inhaled the scent of the woodsmoke and watched it curl its way up to meet the misty morning. She loved that she would be taking the clinging aroma of woodfire back in her clothes and hair.”
- The Piper & The Prophecy
Rhianna Jo’s campfire apple crisp! And I got to use my vintage Pyrex!
So if, like me, you’re wondering what’s the difference between a crisp and a crumble- it’s the oats. And as soon as a I read that I thought, of course. Both desserts have a crumbly topping of butter, flour, and sugar. But a crisp also has oats, which gives it the crisp.
Rhianna’s apple crisps are brought along on her camping trip with Levi and are thrown on the fire in a foil packet. This recipe is for making a crisp for two in the oven, but there are also tips on making it the campfire way.
I also love the idea of adding some fresh picked or foraged berries before serving for a little pop of tart freshness.
We also see that she makes them coffee with maple syrup and heavy cream. And I have to say, we read about a lot of coffee drinks in this book. So much so, that I think our eventual cookbook will have to have a whole section dedicated to coffee!
For camping, Rhianna brought her cream and syrup in a jar alongside her “little whisker thingy-do” to whip up fresh whipped cream for the crisps on the spot. What was leftover went into the coffee. Swoon, seriously.
To make;
Apple Walnut Crisp
serves 2
Filling:
2 large apples peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg (it makes a difference)
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter cut into small pieces
Crisp topping:
1/2 cup oats
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
4 tbsp cold butter cut into small pieces
I. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the apples with the rest of the filling ingredients. Spoon into a 500 ml or 2-3 cup baking dish. Dot the pieces of butter throughout.
II. In another bowl, mix together the crisp ingredients. Use your fingers to work the cold butter into the mix until you get a crumbly texture. Top your apples with the crisp mix.
III. Bake for 35-45 minutes until it is bubbling and the apple juices thicken. If it browns too quickly, tent it with a little foil. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
• For 6 servings, triple the recipe and bake in a standard 8x8 baking dish.
• To make over a campfire, cut and toss the apples with the mix the morning of your trip. Keep in a ziplock bag in the cooler until ready to cook. You can also make the crisp topping ahead of time and keep it in a ziplock until ready to assemble. Make a double layer of foil, add your apples, and then your crisp topping. Look for glowing red coals with a light coating of gray ash and set your packets there for about the same cook time.
~ from the table of Summer crosby hennessy of acorn moon mercantile ~