…then make it right, make it rich and eat it. Enjoy it without guilt or remorse for that diminishes the beauty of the treat. It is fall and the time is now for fall foods and treats.

Nobody does baking like King Arthur so here in its entirety is the Classic Apple Crisp recipe from our friends at King Arthur:

What you need for the filling:

• 3 pounds whole apples, to yield 2 pounds peeled, cored, and sliced apples; about 9 cups
• 1/4 cup rum, apple cider or juice, or the liquor/juice of your choice; or water
• 1/4 to 3/4 cup brown sugar, depending on the sweetness/tartness of your apples
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons boiled cider, optional but good. Author’s note: This is a MUST  in our book and it makes a world of difference. Use the link above to purchase a bottle from King Arthur.  PS drizzle it on vanilla ice cream and you will think you are in Heaven!

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice; or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon + 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg + 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 tablespoons King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or tapioca flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

What you need for the topping:

• 3/4 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, light or dark
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut in pats
• 1/2 cup diced pecans or walnuts, optional

What to do:

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9″ x 9″ square cake pan, or similar-size casserole pan.

Slice the apples about 1/4″ thick. Toss them with the remaining filling ingredients and spread them in the pan.

To make the topping, whisk together the flour, oats, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder.

Add the cold butter, working it in to make an unevenly crumbly mixture. Stir in the nuts, if you’re using them.

Spread the topping over the apples in the pan.

Set the pan on a parchment- or foil-lined cookie sheet, to catch any potential drips. Bake the crisp for about 60 minutes, till it’s bubbling, and the top is golden brown.

Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. If you serve the crisp hot/warm, it may be quite soft. If you wait till it’s completely cool, it’ll firm up nicely. A good compromise is to wait for it to cool completely, then reheat individual portions briefly in the microwave. Vanilla ice cream is a tasty accompaniment.

As I questioned in a previous post, “If you got hit by the Madison Avenue bus, was it worth not eating a slice of heavenly Classic Apple Crisp?”

I think not.