Apple-Cranberry Crisp with Polenta Streusel Topping
A delightful autumn dessert combining tart cranberries and Granny Smith apples topped with a unique polenta-based streusel featuring hints of aniseed. The crisp topping gets extra crunch and texture from the coarse cornmeal, while warm spices and citrus zest enhance the fruit filling.
Ingredients
- •1 teaspoon aniseed
- •1½ cups pastry flour
- •¾ cup polenta
- •½ cup sugar
- •1½ teaspoons baking powder
- •¼ teaspoon salt
- •½ cup unsalted butter
- •1 large egg
- •2 cups fresh cranberries
- •⅔ cup sugar
- •⅔ cup golden brown sugar
- •2 teaspoons lemon peel
- •1½ teaspoons orange peel
- •1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- •½ teaspoon salt
- •¼ teaspoon black pepper
- •2 pounds Granny Smith apples
- •2 tablespoons lemon juice
- •1 serving vanilla gelato
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Toast aniseed in small skillet over medium heat until slightly darker in color, about 3 minutes. Place seeds in processor. Add next 5 ingredients; blend 5 seconds. Add butter; blend, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Drizzle egg over and stir until ingredients are evenly moistened.
10 min
- 2.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl; stir to blend. Add apples and lemon juice; toss to blend. Transfer filling to 11x7x2- inch glass baking dish (or other shallow 2-quart baking dish).
15 min
- 3.
Crumble topping finely over filling. Bake dessert until apples are tender, juices bubble thickly, and topping is crisp and golden, about 1 hour. Cool 15 minutes. Serve crisp warm with gelato.
75 min
- 4.
*Sold at some supermarkets and at natural foods stores and Italian markets.
