Apple Almond Crisp: love the one you're with

Pin It I know that strawberry from Guatemala is tempting.  He and his friends are big and bright red and they're right there when you walk into the supermarket...it's really hard to avoid eye contact...but in your heart you know it's wrong.  And anyway, chances are, underneath that flashy exterior he'd be a big dud.

Let's be real.  It's February. I'm guessing you're still watching the news on the couch huddled in a warm blanket, am I right?  Keep a Kleenex box in every room?  Uh huh.  Sleeping with your socks on?  I thought so.

So before you get all, flip-flops and Ray-Bans, and take a step back, breathe, and take a moment to appreciate the here and now.  You've probably forgotten all about apples. They've been stalwart company throughout the winter, and they're still delicious.  Don't you remember how you craved them last August? 

Why don't you spend some quality time together. Do something frivolous for a change, just the two of you.
 

You can whip this up in the time it takes to preheat the oven.  Change it out any way you want.  Just keep the apples.  You know it's the right thing to do.

Apple Almond Crisp   (Gluten free!)
serves 4
oven to 375
5 or 6 apples, peeled and sliced
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp heavy cream
Topping
1/2 cup almond meal or almond flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/3 tube almond paste, crumbled
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut in pieces
1 tsp almond extract
creme fraiche mixed with a few vanilla bean seeds for serving

• Pile the apple slices into a 8 or 9" baking dish, toss with the lemon juice and drizzle with the cream.
• Put the rest of the ingredients, except the creme fraiche, into a bowl. Mix the topping together using your fingertips to break up the butter and the almond paste and incorporate everything evenly into a crumbly  texture.  
• Sprinkle the topping over the apples and bake for about 40 minutes.  Cover the top with foil for the last 10 minutes if it's getting too brown.
• Serve hot with the creme fraiche, whipped cream, or ice cream.