spiced apple and pear crumble.

Yes, here I go again with another apple recipe, but hey, it's fall, right? Here in Portland the leaves have almost all changed to vibrant colors, the air is crisp and windy, and folks all over are dressed in sweaters and bright scarves. If that's not enough to inspire frequent traditional Autumn baking then I don't know what is.

I really do not have much to say about this recipe. It's simple, fragrant, and mighty tasty, just like any apple/pear dessert should be. Go ahead, eat it with friends using spoons right out of the baking dish, with fall foliage in view. Or share it in bed with your honey under a warm blanket, with vanilla bean ice cream piled on top. Or even cut the recipe down, make yourself a single serving, and enjoy some alone time out on the porch with a good book and a thick scarf. It's better that way.



Spiced Apple and Pear Crumble

Ingredients:

3 baking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
3 ripe but firm red pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, diced, plus more for buttering the dish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss apples and pears with lemon juice and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Stir in cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and toss well to combine. Spread fruit evenly in a buttered baking dish and set aside.

Combine flour, oats, brown sugar and salt in a food processor. Add butter to flour mixture, then pulse several times to incorporate butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal. Evenly spread the topping over the fruit, pressing down slightly with your fingers. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until fruit is tender, juices are bubbly and topping is crisp.