This apple crisp recipe differs somewhat from most apple crisp desserts.  Most will have an incredibly sweet brown sugar, flour, butter, and oat topping.  The topping for this one is much more like a biscuit topping.

It is almost more like a cobbler than it is a crisp.  But just like a crisp, it is a beautifully autumnal dessert that your family is sure to love.   

It is perfect made with the fresh autumn apples which are available at present. But don't let that limit you!  It is also delicious made with other Autumn or even Summer fruits!

 

Why not try it with Peaches or Plums. Nectarines would also work well, as would Pears, Raspberries, Blueberries, or Cherries.

You could even do a combination of fruits.  Some delectable ones would be Peaches and Raspberries. Or Peaches and Blueberries.  Pear and Apple go very well together, as do a mix of berries.  We like it best with apples however.

 

I like to use a mix of apples if I can.   I combine some tart cooking apples with some sweet eating apples.  Bramley are the cooking apple of choice over here in the UK.  They break down to a nice and fluffy, allmost applesauce texture.

Granny Smiths are tart, (not quite as tart as the Bramley), but tend to hold their shape better when cooked. Sweet crisp eating apples add a special sweetness to the mix. I like Pink Ladies. 

Combining more than one kind of apple will give you a mix of tender apples suspended in a thicker sauce. If you use more cooking apples than sweet apples you may want to add a few tablespoons of sugar to the mix so as to prevent it from being too tart.

 

You can even use canned apples, which makes it that much easier.  My first husband came from a farm family.  They had dairy cows, sheep, chickens and orchards. They also grew vegetables for the local cannery.  That would vary year to year. 

One year their fields would be filled with peas, and another it might be beans or even carrots.  They also grew their own feed for their livestock. 

They grew a variety of apples.  A delicious mix of eating and cooking apples.  Autumn was always a hive of activity as everyone worked hard to get it all in before the really cold weather arrived.

Nothing was wasted. Even the drops were used.  They were sent to the Scotian Gold factory to be made into apple juice or pressed into cider.

My MIL was very good at putting things up of course. Shelves in her cold cellar would be lined with jars of produce she had put up, including apples. There were also bins of fresh apples that, surprisingly, lasted all Winter almost into the spring.

I learnt a lot from Lois about cooking.  She was a fabulous cook. Most farm wives are great cooks. They need to be. There were always extra mouths at the dinner table and during harvest season this could add up to quite a few extra mouths. 

Quite often labourers would pick and choose where they wanted to work according to the kinds of meals the Farm wife would prepare.  

Being a good cook made a huge difference to the quality and quantity of labourers you could and would get!

 Lois passed away several years ago at the age of 100, having outlived her husband by a good many years.  I have always been very grateful to Lois for all that she taught me about being a good wife and a good cook. 

She was no shirker of hard work, that's for sure.  She was cooking and crafting right on up into her old age, and with care managed to live in her own home right up to the end. 

This dessert reminded me of the kind of dessert she would have baked. It has her name written all over it.  Old fashioned. Simple.  Delicious.

Because  I use a mix of apples, the filling has plenty of texture. There is soft saucy bits of apple and firmer bits of apple, all mixed togther.  Quite nice really. 

You could make short work of cutting the apples by using an apple corer/slicer. I think, however the wedges it makes would be a bit too thick, so if you use one, cut them in half yet again.

 

This went down a real treat served warm from the oven with ice cold Vanilla ice cream. I do have ice cream scoops somewhere in two sizes, but do you think I can ever find them when I need them? Nada. Not at all. 

That's what happens when you have a chef's kitchen crammed into a kitchen that was not meant to be used by anyone who actually likes to cook. Too much stuff, not enough space, equals a degree of frustration that varies from day to day.  I really need to get rid of some stuff.

Things would run a lot smoother if I had less stuff.  I keep telling myself that, but then I look at things and can't quite bring myself to part with them, because  . . .  you guessed it, they might come in handy one day.

Anyways, do make this Apple crisp for yourself. I think you will be pleasantly pleased with the results.  Moreishly delicious especially with something cold and sweet spooned over top. 

Some other apple desserts you might enjoy are: 

QUICK AND EASY APPLE TARTS - Perfect for when you are short on time and yet still want to serve a delicious and impressive dessert! 

DUTCH APPLE TURNOVERS - Flaky pastry filled with plenty of apples, sweetened with white and brown sugar, and lightly spiced with cinnamon, freshy grated nutmeg, cardamom and a tiny bit of cloves. 
 

So the virus is rising again. They say we are into the Second Wave now. I don't know what to think about that. Its a tiny bit frightening to say the least. Stay safe and stay happy! And while you are at it, enjoy some apple crisp! This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again! 

 

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As a food blogger I am afforded the opportunity to try new products and promote new businesses every now and then. I was contacted a while back by Erbology and asked if I would like to try some of their products and maybe create a recipe to use some of them in.

If there is one thing I love to do it is to try new things I have never tried before and to try out new products!

Erbology is a London Based business which specialises in providing quality whole foods for healthy living.  It is a business owned by siblings Irina and Victor Turcan and they have all sorts of wonderful products such as snacks, drinks, powders, berries, nuts, oils, etc.  I was most impressed with the products which I was sent. 

I had not heard of some of these things so it was a wonderful opportunity for me to learn something new and to try something new as well.  I have to say I am very impressed with their packaging which is recyclable for the most part, or a least it was with the products I was sent.

Here is a bit about the things I got to try.


As a breakfast cereal - Simmered correctly, amaranth develops a delicious sweetness and porridge-like consistency that make it a great breakfast option. Use a ratio of  3 parts to one. (1 1/2 cups liquid to 1/2 cup amaranth will give you a yield of 1 1/2 cups cooked.) Place the amaranth and water or fruit juice in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until water is absorbed. This should take about 20 minutes. Do keep a close eye on it towards the end. Serve immediately, as it will turn gummy and congeal if overcooked or left to sit. You can add fruit, nuts, cinnamon, and honey or sugar to serve. I like date syrup.

Popped - You can toast a tablespoon of amaranth seeds a time in a covered hot, dry skillet just l ike making popcorn. Continually shake or stir until the seeds pop. Popped these nutritious seeds work perfectly when enjoyed as a snack. You can also use the popped seeds to top soups, salads, and vegetable dishes.

Combined with other grains -  Amaranth is wonderful combined and cooked together with another grain, such as brown rice.  It adds a nutty sweetness. Use a ratio of 1/4 cup amaranth to 3/4 cup other grain and cook as per usual.

Added to soups and stews - Amaranth’s gelatinous qualities make it perfect for use in thickening soups and stews. You will need no more than a few tablespoons which you can add while the soup is cooking.

Almond oil nourishes your body and skin with healthy fats, vitamins and phytonutrients. Enjoy its light nutty flavour in sweet and savoury dishes or apply a small amount to the skin at night. Source of vitamin E and vitamin A that help your body fight free radicals.

This oil is cold-pressed from unpasteurised Italian almonds  and comes in a recyclable glass bottle.

I had never heard of Sweet Almond Oil before either.  It smells amazing. I suffer from dry skin and exema and I have been applying some to my worst spots each night when I go to bed.
Mildly tangy and exceptionally nutritious, sea buckthorn powder is a source of rare omega-7, beta-carotene and phytonutrients that work together to support your immunity, mucosa function and skin health.

It is sustainably grown by small farmers in Eastern Europe  and produced in small batches. Delicious  sprinkled over salad, soup or yoghur. I like to add some to my morning smoothies.

   

ORGANIC TRANSYLVANIAN WALNUTS

These organic raw walnuts are sustainably sourced from the heart of Transylvania and delivered to you straight from the farm. Walnuts are a valuable source of protein. They are rich in omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids  and high in magnesium, vitamin B-6 and ellagic acid.

These are lovely eaten out of hand, but I wanted to showcase them with a fabulous recipe.  Walnut and Chocolate Pie.  This is beautifully rich and moreish.  If you can resist a slice of this then you are a much stronger person than I am!

It was my husband's birthday yesterday and I decided to break with tradition and bake him a pie instead of the usual cake.





Okay true confessions here, the pie is more for me than for him.  I am honest if nothing else. I did also bake him his favourite Victoria Sponge Cake.

Yes, he also enjoyed the pie, but in all truth he also really enjoyed the cake. Birthdays just need cakes. I used to bake my ex his favourite Butterscotch Pie every year on his birthday, but we also had cake as well.

Why not bake two delights for your loved ones special days?  Why not indeed!




To learn more about Erbology and all that they provide do check out their website.  You can find that here. These are not supplements, but food. Rare, plant based, ingredients that nourish your body and create delicious dishes. They also offer personalised boxes which make for great gifts for others and for yourself. Organic and 100% plant based and delivered right to your door.

What more can I say, but do check them out!

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of  The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

 Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!



 Follow my blog with Bloglovin