America's Test Kitchen Skillet Apple Crisp

If your skillet is not ovensafe, prepare the recipe through step 3 and then transfer the filling to a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Top the filling as directed and bake for an additional 5 minutes. We like Golden Delicious apples for this recipe, but any sweet, crisp apple such as Honeycrisp or Braeburn can be substituted. Do not use Granny Smith apples in this recipe. While rolled oats are preferable in the topping, quick-cooking oats can be substituted. Serve the apple crisp warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 6-8
• Yields: 6-8

Ingredients

• Topping

• 3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
• 3⁄4 cup pecans, chopped fine
• 3⁄4 cup old fashioned oats (quick-cooking oats may be substituted)
• 1⁄2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon table salt
• 8  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)

• Filling

• 3  lbs golden delicious apples, peeled, cored, halved, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges (about 7 medium)
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1  cup apple cider
• 2  teaspoons lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. FOR THE TOPPING: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine flour, pecans, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl. Stir in butter until mixture is thoroughly moistened and crumbly. Set aside while preparing fruit filling.
2. FOR THE FILLING: Toss apples, granulated sugar, and cinnamon (if using) together in large bowl; set aside. Bring cider to simmer in 12-inch ovensafe skillet over medium heat; cook until reduced to ½ cup, about 5 minutes. Transfer reduced cider to bowl or liquid measuring cup; stir in lemon juice and set aside.
3. Heat butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add apple mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until apples begin to soften and become translucent, 12 to 14 minutes. (Do not fully cook apples.) Remove pan from heat and gently stir in cider mixture until apples are coated.
4. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit, breaking up any large chunks. Place skillet on baking sheet and bake until fruit is tender and topping is deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack until warm, at least 15 minutes, and serve.