I love apple crisp, and this version is the best ever. It’s really easy to make and almost impossible to ruin. This recipe is also great with peaches, pears, blueberries, or raspberries, but if you use berries, put all of the crumble mixture on top, or it will get soggy. No matter what fruit you use, eat it warm with some vanilla ice cream, and oh man, it is the best!

　　

Ingredients

makes one 9 by 13-inch pan

　　

Crumble

2 cups flour

　　1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

　　1/2 cup oatmeal

　　3/4 cup melted butter

　　

Filling

6 apples

　　1 cup sugar

　　3 tablespoons cornstarch

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1 cup water

　　1 teaspoon vanilla

　　

Step 1

To prepare the crumble: Place the crumble ingredients in a bowl and stir with a fork until the mixture is completely combined.

　　

Step 2

To prepare the filling: Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

　　

Step 3

Peel the apples and cut them in half. Remove the cores and cut the apples into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. Place the sugar, cornstarch, salt, water, and vanilla in a large bowl and stir until combined. Add the apples and toss until coated.

　　

Step 4

Place one-half of the crumble mixture in an ungreased 9 by 13-inch pan and pat it down to form a crust. Pour the apple mixture into the pan and spread the apples evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over the apples and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.

　　

Kitchen tip

Step 5

There are zillions of different kinds of apples out there, and it can get really confusing trying to figure out which ones to use for what. Here is a quick rundown on the eight most popular types. The best eating apples are Red Delicious, Gala, and Fuji. The best cooking apples are Granny Smith, McIntosh, and Rome Beauty. And then there are Golden Delicious and Jonathan, which are good for both eating and baking.

　　College Cooking