Honey Apple Crisp

My mother made this for us growing up and it filled the house with wondrous aromas of apple, honey and butter.  It’s delicious with custard and cream; always ensure you use the lemon juice (even adding a little zest to the crumble, if desired for extra flavour).The lemon juice adds the necessary acidity and provides great flavour.

Your family will moan with pleasure! Leftovers will be scarce.

Serves 4-6 

6 cups tart apples, sliced

½  cup sugar

2-3 tbsp lemon juice

½ cup honey

1 cup flour

¼  cup brown sugar

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

140 g butter

a couple of extra knobs of butter

Spread the apple slices in a casserole and sprinkle with sugar, lemon juice and honey. Mix the flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon and cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse oatmeal.

Spread the topping evenly over the apples and dot with a few extra knobs of butter. Bake at 190 deg C for 40-60* minutes or until the apples are tender and the crust crisp and brown.

Serve with custard, cream or ice cream, or why not all three.

* This may seem a long cooking time but you want the apples to literally melt down.  You can make ahead and cook for 30 minutes and then re-heat for another 20 or so minutes if desired. 

You can increase the brown sugar slightly in the recipe if you prefer a sweeter pudding but try it like this first – you will be impressed.