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This is part 2 of a feature on my delicious experience with Chef Sherry Blockinger and sherry b dessert studio in Chappaqua, New York. You can find part 1 here.
On my first visit to sherry b dessert studio, I got to make her Apple Crisp for Two recipe in her kitchen. Sherry talked about how apple crisp is a simple fall dessert that can be customized easily, depending what spices and flavorings you add to the mix.
She said it's a good introductory level dessert, since it isn't quite as scientific and methodical as other desserts.
There were a lot of options to play with that day. The key is to end up with ¼ teaspoon total of dry spices and ½ teaspoon total citrus juice or pure vanilla.
That day, I used a mix of cardamom, allspice, cinnamon, freshly grated ginger, lemon juice and vanilla bean paste. Some other suggested options were cayenne, black pepper and nutmeg.
The vanilla bean paste was something new to me, too. It came in a big jar and can be used instead of vanilla extract in any recipe. It smelled incredible!
This is the crisp I made that day, before it went into the oven. I pressed together a little heart out of the topping to see if it would hold up in the oven (it did, and it was so good!).
It was absolutely delicious, especially paired with her homemade vanilla bean ice cream (and some wine!), but I still wanted to bake it in my own kitchen to see if I'd still get such great results.
Like I need an excuse to make another apple-filled dessert - ha!
So after our annual apple picking adventure, me and my son set off to make our mini apple crisps. In the studio, Sherry used a small bread pan that was 7x4x2 inches. I don't have a small bread pan at home, so we used some mini pie plates, and it worked out beautifully!
A few tips really made this come together easier. First off, her method of mixing the apples and flavorings in a zip top freezer bag and letting that sit while you put the topping together is genius. It makes it super simple to mix all the ingredients together (and fun for kids!), and it gets nice and saucy as it sits.
She also recommends cutting the apples into smaller pieces if you prefer a more applesauce-y texture.
One thing that surprised me was that when mixing the topping ingredients, you need to mix it for quite a bit of time before it starts to come together. After about 5 minutes on low speed, it'll look like crumbly sand, and then suddenly it will start to clump together. I wouldn't have thought that it would take that long for the clumps to start forming. She also assured me that usually the moment you turn your back, that's when it'll be ready, and you don't want to let it go too far, so make sure to watch the mixer.
At home, we used a mix of a few different types of apples, which I thought worked out well. It's definitely a simple, impressive dessert.
It's also easily scalable to make more for a larger crowd (or leftovers!). Just don't forget the vanilla ice cream!
Print📖 Recipe
Sherry B’s Apple Crisp for Two
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2 Servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
A versatile, impressive fall dessert that's easily scalable to make as little or as much as you want!
Ingredients
- 2 medium sized apples (13 ounces), preferably Granny Smith
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- pinch of spices, totaling about ¼ tsp
- squeeze of lemon juice or splash of pure vanilla extract (about ½ tsp)
For the topping: (makes enough for 2, use 7 ounces per pan)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Peel, core and chop the apples and place into a quart sized zip top freezer bag. Add spices and lemon or vanilla into the bag. Seal the bag and gently shake to evenly coat all of the pieces. Set aside while you make the topping.
- To make the topping, place all ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until ingredients are blended with some large clumps beginning to form.
- Place the pan on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. This makes it easier to pull in and out of the oven and will catch any juices that bubble over while baking. Pour the seasoned apples into the pan and cover evenly with the topping. Bake 30-40 minutes until the topping is golden and juices are bubbling.
- Remove pans to a cooling rack and cool. Serve warm with ice cream.
Notes
Recipe reprinted with permission from Sherry Blockinger
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 1108
- Sugar: 95.3 g
- Sodium: 176.2 mg
- Fat: 46.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 29 g
- Carbohydrates: 163.7 g
- Fiber: 8.3 g
- Protein: 10.1 g
- Cholesterol: 121.9 mg
Keywords: apple dessert, autumn, small batch dessert
Susan
Thoroughly enjoyed this recipe! Nice crispy topping and slightly tart apple filling. My husband was thrilled with it and declared it "Delicious" with enthusiasm. A definite repeater!
Ashley
I’m so very glad this was a hit, Susan! And the husband seal of approval makes it even better!