Apple Crisp And Falcon Enamelware

A serving of warm apple crisp with a dollop of whipped cream.

Last night I decided to throw together a quick apple crisp for dessert when I realized the only apples I had on hand were organic. 

Not wanting to waste a bit of the premium Pacific Rose apples and I admit, feeling a bit lazy, I decided to forgo peeling them and I have to say I would do it again.

Just thinly slicing the apples saved time and nutritional benefits since most of the fiber in an apple is in the peel which also contains cancer-fighting phytonutrients. 

Not peeling them also made the finished dish so pretty since the baking caused the rose colored exterior to lightly blush the flesh. In the end,  I think it heightened the crisp to an elegant dessert.

The color from the apple skin blushed the flesh and made the dish so pretty.

On a side note, I was also excited to use my new bright red Falcon Enamelware that my brother Josh gave me for Christmas.  Falcon is a British company that has been in business since the 1920's.

The bright colored pans are made with heavyweight steel, have a baked-on porcelain coating and won't break if you drop them.

My new Falcon Enamelware. Thank you Josh! 

Josh gave me the five-piece pie set and I used the largest pan (11-3/4" x  8-3/4") for the crisp.  I have absolutely fallen for enamelware. It bakes evenly and looks so nice that it can go straight from the oven to the table.

Apple Crisp

6 to 8 medium-sized organic apples, cored and thinly sliced (use apples that are good for baking like Pacific Rose, Fuji, Pink Lady or Honeycrisp)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup old fashioned oatmeal

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 11-3/4 x 8-3/4 to 9x13 sized baking pan.

In a large bowl mix the apples with the lemon juice, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of flour. Lay the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.

The apple layer.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the oatmeal, 1/2 cup flour, walnuts, brown sugar and unsalted butter. Use your fingers to break the butter into the dry ingredients to create a crumbly topping. Evenly spread the topping over the apples.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Warm apple crisp ready to serve. I recommend serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly whipped cream.

Rosemary Apple Tarts

These Rosemary Apple Tarts are elegant comfort food. The earthy flavor of the rosemary compliments the apples and is a pleasant and unexpected change from the usual cinnamon flavored apple dessert.

These tarts are also easy to eat. You can pick them up and eat them with your hands or serve them on a pretty plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Rosemary Apple Tarts
(makes 6 individual tarts)

Crust
2 cups flour
2/3 cups shortening
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
cold water

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the shortening and using your hands, break it up into small pea sized pieces.

Add the cold water, a few tablespoons at a time, until a soft dough forms. Try to handle the dough as little as possible.

Roll the dough on a floured board until it is about 1/4 of an inch thick. Using a cutter or a knife, cut into 6 6-inch rounds. Crimp the edges and set them on a parchment lined baking sheet.

I used a small baking pan to cut 6-inch rounds.

After crimping the edges, set the rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Rosemary Sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2/3 cup sugar
In a bowl, combine the sugar and rosemary. Divide the sugar into three parts.

After mixing the fresh rosemary with the sugar, divide it into three equal parts.

To assemble:
2 medium sized apples, thinly sliced with the skin still on

Toss the apples with 1/3 of the sugar and set aside.

Toss 1/3 of the sugar with your thinly sliced apples.

Evenly sprinkle each pastry round with another 1/3 of the sugar.

Sprinkle 1/3 of the sugar evenly onto the pastry rounds.

Assemble a mound of sliced apples on each pastry round, 6 to 8 slices on each.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 of sugar on top of the tarts.

Sprinkle the final 1/3 of the sugar evenly over the apple topped pastry rounds.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the tarts are golden brown and the apples are soft. Immediately transfer the tarts to a cooling rack and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Note: A scoop of vanilla ice cream would take these over the top!