The Abridged version:
- “Cooking In Season” columnist Zoe B. Soderstrom sees these apple crisp sundaes as a way to use one of fall’s signature fruits while temperatures remain warm.
- Soderstrom recommends using a mix of firm, tart and sweet apples for maximum flavor.
- The recipe calls for making an apple compote and oat crisp topping, then scooping both over vanilla ice cream and topping with flaky salt.
This is Cooking In Season, a biweekly series from local recipe developer Zoe B. Soderstrom using seasonal produce available at Sacramento-area farmers markets.
Now that fall is officially underway, I took a trip to the Roseville Fountains Farmers’ Market with one tunnel-vision goal: finding apples.
While I have a deep affection for summer produce (don’t we all?), there’s a part of me that is eager to embrace fall produce with open arms.
I once read about the positive benefits of anticipating a vacation – the simple act of anticipation (and the dopamine that comes with it) is almost if not more powerful than the joy you might feel on the vacation itself. I think seasons work the same way. Fall and spring, to me, feel like moments of anticipation. In the spring, we’re emerging from post-holiday depression, the days are getting longer and you feel the warmth beginning to take hold, with blooming plants all around. In the fall, we enter cooler temperatures and prepare for the business of the holiday season.
Fall and spring, alike, are also productive months. Kids are in school, routines settle in and – my selfishly favorite part – homemade meals make their way back into the kitchen, as travel slows down.
All that’s to say, fall (i.e., pumpkin-spice season) is a season of anticipation, where we lean into produce like butternut squash, pears, Brussels sprouts and this week, apples. All of the produce that complements the warm spices, nuts and other ingredients that get us excited for the promise of the year’s end.
Apple Crisp Sundaes
Serves 2-4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Fruit crisps (or cobblers) have always been a delicious and versatile way to use up in-season fruit – they’re quick, easy, and, unlike many baked goods, they’re non-fussy. However, as the weather remains comfortably warm, baked desserts might feel a bit too premature to enjoy. This apple crisp sundae is the perfect compromise: tender cinnamon-spiced apples, the signature oat crisp topping and, of course, luscious vanilla ice cream. For maximum flavor, choose a combination of firm, tart and sweet apples (e.g., Fuji, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady and Braeburn).
Ingredients
Apple Compote
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup + 1 tablespoon water, divided
1 lb fresh apples, cored and diced into 1” pieces
¼ cup granulated sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt (like Diamond Crystal)
Oat Crisp Topping
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup rolled oats
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt, to taste
4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Flaky salt, for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, add ½ cup of water, apples, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Cook over medium-low heat until the apples are soft and tender and the water has mostly reduced, around 10-12 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. While stirring, slowly add the cornstarch slurry. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the melted butter and stir to combine until small clumps form.
- Transfer the mixture to a small baking sheet. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until the mixture is golden brown and slightly crisp. Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes, then break it up into clumps as needed.
- In a parfait glass or ice cream bowl, add 1 to 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream. Top with the apple compote and oatmeal crisp. Garnish with flaky salt.
Zoe B. Soderstrom is the writer and recipe developer behind “Cooking In Season,” a biweekly column featuring recipes made from the Sacramento region’s seasonal produce. She runs the popular Substack page “Restaurant Dropout,” and previously worked in Bay Area restaurants after graduating from culinary school.