Vermont Maple Cast Iron Apple Crisp

There are few things better than a warm, cozy dessert after a day out in the crisp fall air. Vermont has some of the best apple picking in the northeast, and we highly suggest going out and finding your own juicy gems to bring back to the kitchen. A blend of tart apple varieties such as Empire, Honey Crisp, Braeburn, and Granny Smith work best to bring out fall flavors. 

Recipe inspired by New York Times chef Yossy Arefi - with a Vermont twist!  

Ingredients: 

Filling: 

3 pounds of apples (about 6 medium apples)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 cup of Vermont maple syrup 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Topping: 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened

Cooking: 

Prepare the filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and set your baking rack in the center. 
2. Take your fresh apples and peel, core, and slice them to be ½ in wide. Remove any bruises, and crawlers that might have hitched a ride on the apples from the orchard! 
3. Combine the apples, lemon juice, spices and salt into a large bowl, and mix until all slices are covered with your delicious mixture. 
4. Drizzle ½ cup of maple syrup and pour into the cast iron pan. Be sure to get all the juices out of the bowl into the pan! 

Prepare the topping: 

1. In the same bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Stir until well combined. 
2. Add butter and mash it into the ingredients with your fingers until small crumbs form from the oats. 
3. Pour the topping over the apples, spreading evenly. 
4. Bake until the topping is golden brown and the juices are bubbling, around 40-50 minutes. 

Serve warm out of the oven, take it to a friend’s house, or save a piece for lunch. And most definitely enjoy with (preferably maple) ice cream! Want to keep the cozy, warm feeling coming? Make some Hot Cocoa and share it with us @VermontRealEstateCompany or use #MadeWithVTRECO.