Caramel Apple Crisp Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does it matter what apples you use in apple crisp? ›

What Makes A Good Apple For Apple Crisp? The best apples for baking keep their structure under heat, which prevents the chunks of fruit from turning into mush after baking. The firm and crisp Granny Smith and Honeycrisp varieties are popular apples to use in apple pies and apple crisps.

The choice of apple you use in the crisp can affect how watery it may turn out. Choose a baking apple like Granny Smith or pippin, not Red Delicious. Also, make sure you use a thickener like flour or corn starch.

Apples have a waxy coating that will prevent the caramel from sticking, so it's important to wash and dry it off. Make sure the apples are cold, which helps prevent the caramel from slipping off.

Baking: Start baking the apple crisp covered with foil. This allows the apples to soften without any risk of the topping over-browning. After about 20 minutes, remove the foil and let the crisp finish cooking uncovered. Once the juices are bubbling, the topping is golden brown, and the apples are tender, it is done!

We prefer to prep the apples when we make the crisp, but you can prep them ahead of time. Peel and slice the apples and toss them with lemon juice, then pack tightly in freezer bags and refrigerate for up to one day.

I love using Granny Smith apples because they are crisp, sour, and hold their shape well when baked. You could also try Braeburn, Honeycrisp, or a combination of apples. Sugar: Most recipes call for all granulated sugar or half granulated and half brown sugar.

How can I make my apple crisp crispy? If your butter to flour to sugar ratio is off, it will result in a less crispy topping. You want to be careful not to add too much flour or too little. Also, we love adding old fashioned rolled oats to our crumble because it really gives it a nice crunch.

Lemon juice keeps the flesh of your apples from turning brown before you bake them, making for a more appealing presentation. This way you can prepare your apple crisp with oatmeal before you start dinner, then set it on the counter until you're ready to bake.

According to this equivalent list, 10 cups of sliced apples requires 10 medium apples. To be on the safe side, buy one additional apple. You don't want to run short—after all, it's always better to have too many ingredients than too few!

Make absolutely certain the pan is clean AND your sugar is clean and free from impurities like dirt or residue. Sugar crystals can hook up with those impurities causing your caramel to seize and crystallize.

Why is my caramel not setting? ›

Too short of a cooling time: Caramel sauce thickens significantly as it cools, so let the caramel cool for the appropriate time to achieve the right thickness. If the sauce is still too thin after cooling completely, place it back on the stovetop and reheat it on low heat for a few additional minutes.

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough. Again place the caramel back into a sauce pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and heat to 244°F. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test with a cold water test.

Use cold, cubed butter.

Making the crumble with room temperature or melted butter will cause the topping to spread as it bakes, rather than creating a landscape of craggy, crunchy sweet pieces. Using cold butter will help all the crumble ingredients bind together before baking and then saturate them evenly in the oven.

Not enough butter, and your topping will be a dry, floury mess. Too much butter and your topping will become a greasy blob or disappointingly soggy. Some recipes will ask you to cut in cold butter along with your dry ingredients, resulting in pea-size pieces that are sprinkled across the hot fruit filling.

Like an apple crisp, an apple crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats or nuts. Instead, a crumble's topping is more like streusel, made with flour, sugar and butter.

Gala apples are my favorite variety for this recipe – I like their sweet/tart flavor and firm texture. But if you have a favorite baking apple, feel free to use it here. Granny smith apples, Honeycrisps, Jonagolds, or a mix would all be excellent.

Honeycrisp. One of the sweetest apples around, this Midwestern favorite is good for anything—including baking. It boasts a distinctive juicy crispness and is firm enough that it won't cook down much. It complements just about any other apple variety to make a stellar pie.

Fuji: Fuji is the sweetest apple variety that Stemilt grows. Each crisp bite will remind you of the sweet taste of apple juice due to its naturally high sugar levels! Fuji apples are ideal for fresh applications like snacking, juicing, or freezing.

Unfortunately, some varieties lose their pressure quicker than others, compounded by a late harvest, extended storage time, and shipping delays. For example, Red Delicious apples are often soft and mealy for all the above reasons, while Honeycrisp apples are known for their crisp and juicy texture.