Ingredients
For Topping (or 'Crisp'):
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup old fashioned oats
½ cup packed light brown sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon SOOC Sicilian Sea Salt
1 tablespoon SOOC Vanilla Balsamic Vinegar
For Apple Filling:
8 Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
½ tablespoon SOOC Butter Olive Oil
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, fresh grated whole nutmeg seeds are the best
¼ butter, diced into small cubes
For Balsamic Apple Caramel:
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar (prevents sugar crystallization)
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter, cut in chunks
1 tablespoon SOOC Red Apple Dark Balsamic Vinegar
Pinch of salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉.
For the Topping: Add all the 'Topping' ingredients in a medium bowl, and mix together with your hands. This is the ‘crisp’ and it should be crumbly. If it is sticking together like a dough and not breaking apart easily, then add more flour ¼ cup at a time until it becomes crumbly.
For the Apple Filling:
Peel and slice apples into ¼ inch pieces. Be sure to make each piece relatively the same size to ensure even cooking
In a large bowl, mix together the sliced apples, Butter Olive Oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make sure apples, sugar, and spices are well combined.
Transfer the apple mixer in layers to a 9 x 9in, or similar size baking dish, and sprinkle a few pieces of the diced butter between each layer, you should get 2-4 layers of apples depending on the size of the dish you use and how deep it is.
Top with all of the streusel topping and place in the oven on the middle-top rack for 40-45 mins, rotating every 10-15 mins so the crisp cooks evenly.
Remove apple crisp from oven and let rest for 5 mins before serving.
For the Balsamic Apple Caramel:
Add sugar, water, and cream of tartar to a sauce pot and bring to a boil over medium to low heat.
Once sugar mixture reaches a dark golden/amber color, remove from heat and burner (the stove is still very hot even if the flame is off) and stir in the heavy cream, be careful not to burn yourself here as there will be a lot of steam.
Once cream is incorporated, whisk in butter a few cubes at a time. Once butter is all whisked in, add the Red Apple Dark Balsamic Vinegar and whisk together.
Add salt to taste (add a pinch of salt and then spoon a tiny bit of caramel onto a cold plate and taste)
To plate, scoop a serving of apple crisp on to a bowl or plate, top with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream, and finish with a drizzle of Balsamic Apple Caramel and Sicilian Sea Salt. Enjoy!
