With only two days until Thanksgiving, it’s crunch time for all holiday hosts. We hope this 7-day countdown series has helped you whip your menu into shape, so that you can take a deep breath Thanksgiving morning–mimosa in hand, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on the “telly”, and your bird in the oven.
Thanksgiving morning is a gift. It’s right up on par with Christmas morning, as far as holiday morns go–on Thanksgiving, I appreciate the peace of the morning juxtaposed by the mad dash of primping, travel, and cooking. Enjoying that quiet moment alone, or sharing a cup of tea with a loved one and watching floats go by…these are the important things.
All things said, the second key to peace on Thanksgiving is dessert! This crumble satisfies all your apple pie cravings, without breaking the calorie bank. You can reheat this just before serving, and can top it with low fat ice cream, frozen yogurt, your own homemade quark. If you have access to Macoun apples, use them–they produce a soft, pudding-like texture, a perfect base for the crunchy crumble topping.
Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients:
3 large macoun apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Woodside apple cider
For the streusel:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
Slight pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup seasonedfork crunchy granola or use high quality store bought.
For the streusel topping, add granola, sugar, butter, and spices in a bowl and work the butter into the granola-sugar mixture until pellets form. Refrigerate.
While the streusel is chilling, peel, core, and slice the apples and toss in a bowl with apple cider and lemon juice. Then butter a decorative casserole dish, (so it can go straight from the oven to the table), and layer the coated apples inside. Next, sprinkle a good layer of the granola streusel on top and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees, until the streusel is golden and bubbling. Reheat if needed and serve in wine or pudding glasses, with shaker of pumpkin-pie spice.
