Photograph by T. Mike Fletcher
Yield: 8 or more servings.
Gingerbread Crumble
11 gingerbread cookies*
2/3 cup walnuts
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick and 1 tablespoon butter, cold
*I used Nabisco Ginger Snaps. When coarsely smashed, they equaled 1 cup.
Place all but the butter in a processor bowl. Process until large crumbs form. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the processor. Process until it starts coming together in large crumbs.
Refrigerate while preparing the apples.
Baked Apples
2 ½ pounds apples, about 7 medium apples*
1 cup +2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (8 ounces)
1/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
*I used Gala apples but any apple except Delicious apples may be used.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch deep-dish tart pan or 4 two-cup individual casseroles. Set aside.
Peel the apples. Core and slice very thinly, placing them in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, mixing very well. Pour over the apples and mix well, making sure all of the apples are coated. Let sit for about 20 minutes so the sugar dissolves and becomes syrupy. Stir several times.
If making one tart, pour apples into the prepared dish. If making individual casseroles, divide the apples among the casseroles. Top with the Gingerbread Crumble.
Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover the dish or dishes loosely with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes covered; undercover and bake for another 30 minutes or until the filling bubbles around the edges and the apples are soft. If the topping browns too much, recover loosely. However, the topping will be very brown due to the gingersnaps.
By Helen Fletcher, The Ardent Cook
