My Favorite Apple Crumble

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An apple crumble with a corner eaten out.

TODAY’S MUSINGS:
I bake constantly, yet rarely do my bakes make it to this blog. I bake because I’m craving cookies at 11 p.m. I bake when I’m invited to a potluck. I bake to repurpose leftovers (duck breast pot pie, anyone?). I bake to add recipes to my long-overdue and upcoming cookbook. I bake to recipe test and test and test.

This dessert wasn’t originally slotted for this blog (so forgive the janky photo). A friend gave me five pounds of homegrown apples and most of them ended up in my belly unadulterated and “as is,” but there remained two pounds of apples that were extra tart – too tart even for a Two-bit Tart. I decided to make an apple crumble, a delicious and easy-peasy recipe for using up a surplus of apples with ingredients on hand.

The day prior,  my sister had visited to help  decorate the tree and, along with her,  she brought a bottle of Shanky’s Whip® whisky for us to sample, because, truly, what goes better with handling fragile glass ornaments on teeny-tiny hooks than copious amounts of alcohol? (Only one ornament was harmed during this endeavor). Since both of us bake, we began discussing the addition of Shanky’s Whip® in various desserts potentially improved with a slug of vanilla-caramel flavored booze.

So,  here I am baking up a quick apple crumble with a bottle of Shanky’s Whip® watching me from the kitchen counter – it seemed like the ideal time to test our dessert musings. I’ve been making apple crumbles and apple crisps since jr. high school. By far, this version was the best apple crumble I’ve ever eaten. So much so that, when I went to cut a large square to bring to my friend,  I realized there wasn’t a large square left – I had demolished ⅔ of the tray!

What made this version so special? It could be the homegrown, tart, ideal-for-baking apples; It might be the Shanky’s Whip®; further taste-testing is required for a definitive determination. In the meantime, try making your own version and let me know what you think

TODAY’S RECIPE:
You’d think this is a paid promo by Shanky’s Whip® Whiskey, but it’s not. My sister bought a bottle for the holidays and, after sampling a few glasses, both of us knew the warm caramel and vanilla notes would complement most cold-weather baked goods – We weren’t wrong.

An Apple Crumble before baking with a bottle of Shanky's Whip in the back

Apple Crumble

I’ve made more than my share of apple crisps and crumbles and this version tops the charts – tart apples, crunchy crumble, and plenty of warming cinnamon and vanilla. I prefer to peel my apples, but if you don’t mind apple peels in your dessert, feel free to leave them on.


Ingredients

    Crumble Topping
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
    • Apple Filling
  • 2-2 ½ lbs. tart apples, peeled (if desired) and roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons Shanky’s Whip Whisky® or 2 Tablespoons Brandy and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8” square baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and Kosher salt. Pour in melted butter and stir until fully combined. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, Stir together chopped apples, granulated sugar, cornstarch, Shanky’s Whip Whisky®, cinnamon, and Kosher salt. Pour Apple filling into the 8” square baking pan and crumble topping over apples.
  3. Bake for approximately 40 minutes until apple filling is bubbling and crumble topping is beginning to brown. Cool slightly and serve warm, but not hot.

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