Skillet Apple Crisp
For the crisp topping:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup chopped pecan pieces
¾ cup rolled oats
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (1 large stick or ½ cup)
Apple filling:
4 cups apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
5 ½ to 6 pounds apples, peeled cored halved and cut into large ¾-inch wedges
(Recommend mix of large Braeburn, Jonagold or Honeycrisp apples.)
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Set oven temperature to 440 degrees. You'll need: a deep 12-inch ovenproof skillet or a 13 x 9-inch Pyrex baking pan and a large a half-sheet baking pan, lined with heavy duty foil.
In medium bowl, stir together flour, pecan pieces, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour melted butter over mixture and stir with fork until well combined and mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
In large skillet, whisk apple cider, cinnamon stick, brown sugar and salt until combined. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until liquid begins to boil. Reduce heat and simmer cider for about 15 minutes, until liquid is reduced to thickened sauce yielding 1½ cups, stirring often.
Remove cinnamon stick and carefully spoon apples into cider sauce. Increase heat to medium and slowly stir apples in the sauce to coat, while cooking. Continue stirring and cook apples just until fruit softens and begins to appear translucent. Turn off heat and press apples evenly down into the skillet. Alternatively, spoon apples into the Pyrex baking pan.
Sprinkle crisp topping evenly over cooked apples and place skillet or pan on large foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 440 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until crisp is deeply golden brown and apples tested near center are soft and bubbly.
Cool 15 to 20 minutes in skillet or pan before serving warm with iced or whipped cream. Crisp is best served warm, the same day as baked.
Baker's hint: Look for the 8-slice Progressive apple slicer and corer. This handy tool makes quick and even work of cutting large apples, including the core!
Nutritional values per serving: 371 calories; 17 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 3 g protein, 56 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 31 mg cholesterol, 186 mg sodium.
Annie Overboe