Active Time

　　40 minutes

　　Total Time

　　3 hours (includes cooling to warm)

　　Apple crisp is one of those desserts that will never, ever go out of style. Easier than pie—no pastry dough to make and roll out—it delivers the warm, juicy apple love you yearn for the minute you see piles of the shiny orbs at local farmers' markets. This crisp deftly manages to capture the flavor of candied apples under a nutty, buttery crumble.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 8 servings

　　

For the topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

　　6 tablespoons sugar

　　3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract (optional)

　　1/2 cup sliced almonds

　　

For the filling:

2/3 cup sugar

　　1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice

　　3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

　　Pinch of salt

　　4 pounds baking apples such as Golden Delicious, Gala, or Crispin (about 7 large), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch-thick slices

　　

Special Equipment

2- to 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Butter baking dish

　　

For the topping:

Step 2

Pulse together flour, sugar, butter, salt, and extracts in a food processor until some large clumps form.

　　

Step 3

Set aside 1/4 cup for filling and transfer remaining topping to a bowl. Stir in almonds.

　　

For the filling:

Step 4

Cook sugar in a dry 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until sugar is melted into a deep-golden caramel.

　　

Step 5

Remove from heat and carefully add apple juice, butter, and salt (caramel will harden and steam vigorously). Cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until caramel is dissolved.

　　

Step 6

Put apples in a large bowl and toss with reserved topping mixture and caramel, then spread in baking dish. (Dish will be very full.)

　　

Step 7

Scatter clumps of topping over apples, squeezing small handfuls of topping into clumps when necessary.

　　

Step 8

Bake until apples are tender and top is golden and crisp, about 1 hour. Cool to warm or room temperature.

　　Cooks' Notes:

　　•Topping can be made 2 days ahead and kept chilled, covered.

　　•Crisp is best eaten the day it is made, but any leftovers can be chilled, covered. The topping will get soggy, but you can rewarm the crisp in a 350°F oven.