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Use more than one kind of apple in this dessert

Recipe: Put several varieties together for mix and match apple crumble

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED OCT 25, 2020

Bowl of red and green apples — In this bowl are McIntosh, Rome, Granny Smith and Baby Royal Gala apples. (Photos: Debbie Arrington)

So many varieties; what do you do?

It's apple season with literally dozens of different kinds of apples available at farmers markets, apple farms and our own backyards.

It can create a little challenge in the kitchen. Different apples cook at different rates. Some get soft in a hurry; others hold their firm crunch.

Most recipes call for using the same variety of apple throughout; that way, they'll cook more evenly.

But this recipe allows you to mix and match what apples you have on hand. The result: The filling has some chunks that are a little firmer than others, adding some texture.

Use all one kind or two or more. (For this recipe, I used a large McIntosh, two Romes, two Baby Royal Galas and a Granny Smith.)

Another plus: This crumble uses less sugar than many apple desserts, allowing the true apple flavor to shine, too.

Apple chunks — The filling cooks before the crumble is assembled and baked

Mix and match apple crumble
Makes 5 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds apples (about 6 to 8, depending on size and variety)
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Butter for baking dish

For topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup quick rolled oats
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, chilled
Cinnamon
Whipped cream (optional)
1 small apple (optional garnish)

Instructions:
Peel, core and chop apples into 1/2-inch pieces. (A mixture of apple varieties can be used for this recipe.) In a heavy pot, combine 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice and water. Stir to combine. Add apple chunks.

Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat and cover. Let apples simmer until chunks are fork-tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in cinnamon. (Note: Some chunks will get softer than others, depending on variety.)

Apple crumble in baking dish — The apple crumble is baked and ready to serve.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and rolled oats. Cut butter or margarine into cubes; add to dry ingredients. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly.

Put apple filling into prepared casserole dish. Spoon crumble topping over apple mixture until top is covered. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake at 400 degrees F. until top is golden and filling is bubbly, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool on a rack. Serve warm, topped with whipped cream and apple garnish if desired.

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RECIPE

A recipe for preparing delicious meals from the bounty of the garden.

Keywords:

apples recipe recipes gardening Sacramento farmers markets fall backyard produce fall baking seasonal cooking orchard fruit

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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3

November still offers good weather for fall planting:

* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.

* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.

* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.

* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.

* Plant garlic and onions.

* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.

* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.

* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.

* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.

* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.

* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.

* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.

* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.

* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.

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