Recipes

Vanilla Bean Apple Crisp

1/3 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 1/4 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of ground nutmeg

1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place sugar in large bowl. Using small sharp knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into sugar. Rub mixture with fingertips to distribute seeds. Add next 4 ingredients; toss well. Transfer to 8-inch square glass baking dish. Place dish on prepared baking sheet. Bake until apples are tender and beginning to turn golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven; stir apples.

Blend flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in processor. Add butter and cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs over apples, spreading evenly. Bake crisp until topping is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool crisp 10 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

(Courtesy of www.epicurious.com)

March 2002