SOURDOUGH DISCARD APPLE CRISP
Warm, gently spiced apples under a rustic sourdough oat topping. This easy dessert is lightly sweetened and works beautifully with cold discard straight from the refrigerator or room temperature discard from the counter.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
For the apple filling
6 cups peeled and sliced apples, about 6 medium apples
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon all purpose flour or cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of salt
For the sourdough crisp topping
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
¾ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sourdough discard, cold or room temperature
6 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup chopped walnuts, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly butter a 9 inch round casserole dish, an 8 inch square baking dish, or a large cast iron skillet.
Add the sliced apples to the baking dish. Drizzle with maple syrup and lemon juice, then add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Toss everything together until the apples are evenly coated.
In a separate bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Stir in the sourdough discard and melted butter until a thick, crumbly mixture forms. Fold in the walnuts, if using.
Scatter the topping evenly over the apples. It does not need to be perfectly smooth. The uneven pieces will become the best golden, crisp bits.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges. If the topping begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the dish with foil for the remaining baking time.
Let the crisp rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Serve warm on its own, or with a spoonful of yogurt, softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
APPLE AND PEAR OPTION
For a slightly different autumn version, replace one or two of the apples with ripe but still firm pears. Prepare and bake the recipe in exactly the same way.
NOTES
Use apples that hold their shape when baked, such as Honeycrisp, Cortland, Northern Spy, Granny Smith or a mixture of varieties. The amount of maple syrup can be adjusted depending on the sweetness of your apples. For very sweet apples, one tablespoon may be enough. Both active sourdough starter and unfed discard will work in this recipe.
