Title: Constructing The Perfect Crisp Part 1
Categories: Fruit, Pies, Info
Yield: 1 servings
Apple crisp
It takes just a little sophistication to make this rustic dessert
sing
My recipe for apple crisp is an award-winner, though the first-place
honor was only earned in a Regal Cinemas-sponsored recipe contest.
So this apple season, I decided to develop a new version that could
compete in any baking arena, and in doing so create the very crisp I
crave: one with a layer of sweet-tart apples that are tender but
keep some body and a toothsome, crumbly topping that lives up to its
name.
Recipes included with this story: Sunday Evening Apple Crisp,
Michelle Vernier's Apple Crisp, Apple-Huckleberry Crisp
The task, however, required a more technical approach than I'd first
imagined. "Crisps are one of those deceptively simple desserts.
There's not much that goes into them, so everything really needs to
be perfect," says Wildwood pastry chef Michelle Vernier. The secret,
she says, is twofold: a tart mix of apples that will break down into
juicy morsels without turning to mush, and a methodically measured
and mixed topping.
Different chefs have different philosophies. At Paley's Place,
pastry chef Lauren Fortgang combines the fruit in her crisps with
sugar and flour only, to let the flavor of the apples and berries
shine. She puts the cinnamon in the topping. Fresh fruit is key to a
good crisp, and not just any apple will do. To avoid making a base
with an applesaucelike consistency, choose baking apples such as
Pippins, Granny Smiths, Gravensteins and Golden Delicious. And don't
rely just on one variety; Paley's Place pastry chef Lauren Fortgang
finds that mixing different varieties together is key to creating
layers of nuanced flavor in the base. (See the results of FOODday's
apple tasting.) Vernier uses a squeeze of lemon juice and a dash of
cinnamon to create a counterpoint to the sweet topping, though
purists prefer to doctor the fruit's tart bite with only a shower of
sugar. "Then, it can really be about the flavor of the apples,"
Fortgang says. "There is so much cinnamon in the topping I make, so
you really need to get that bite of the apples and see how great the
apples taste."
More important than the apple base is a memorable topping, one in
which everyday pantry ingredients come together to create a
streuselly, crunchy-tender texture, often spiked with spices,
oatmeal or nuts. The precise ratio of butter, flour and sugar is
what gives a topping its character. Vernier stands by one part sugar
to one part flour to three-fourths part butter.
Chefs also cut white sugar with dark brown sugar to give the crust
the positive character traits of each: The white sugar helps the
topping get crisp while brown sugar adds a touch of moisture and a
deep, molasses flavor. While some cooks might be tempted to up the
nutrition quotient a bit by using some whole-wheat flour with their
white flour, Vernier cautions against the mix, as it will create too
dense of a topping. Plus, white flour absorbs liquid better and has
a more neutral flavor, Vernier says.
A crisp is exquisitely simple. But the type of apples you choose,
and the proportions of flour, sugar, butter and oatmeal you top them
with, can mean the difference between an OK crisp and one that's
incredible. Butter is the last key ingredient in the crust, and it
must be chilled for it to perform properly. To add the chilled
butter with ease, Fortgang uses a mixer fitted with a paddle
attachment, while Vernier prefers pulsing the topping in a food
processor for speed and consistency. She does, however, recommend
mixing any additional ingredients, such as oatmeal or nuts, in
afterward by hand so they don't lose their crunchy quality while
she's cutting in the butter. It's important to avoid over-mixing the
topping, which results in one that more closely resembles a solid
mass of cookie dough than the desired crumbly jumble. "You want a
little crumb and a little powder in the bowl," Fortgang says. "And,
a couple of leftover butter chunks won't hurt because they'll melt
into the crisp when you are baking it. It is better to under-mix it
instead of over-mixing it."
From: Slashfood.Com
