One of my favorite restaurants is Serevan in Amenia, NY. Chef-owner Serge Madikians can transform locally sourced ingredients into works of art for the eyes, palette, and soul.
For my birthday last August, my husband, daughter and son-in-law treated me to a memorable dinner at Serevan. It was a meal to behold!
When I came across Chef Serge’s apple crisp recipe recently, I contacted him to ask if I might share it with all of you, after all, it is apple season. He graciously said ‘yes’.
Thank you, Chef!
Pink Pearl Apple Crisp
A perfect autumn dessert recipe from Chef Serge Madikians.
For the Apples
- 8 medium Pink Pearl Apples (Peeled, cored and sliced in sixths. Note: If Pink Pearl apples are unavailable, substitute with any apple with a sweet-tart flavor, such as Honey Crisp.)
- 8 Medjool dates (pitted and sliced in sixths)
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp butter (melted)
- ¼ cup Calvados (or other apple brandy)
- ½ tsp cardamom (ground)
- ¼ tsp cloves (ground)
- ½ tsp cinnamon (ground)
- ½ tsp salt
- cayenne pepper (dash)
- 1 lemon (juice and zest)
- ½ orange (juice and zest, optional)
For the Crisp
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp powdered saffron
- ¼ tsp cardamom
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup walnuts or pistachios (chopped)
- 20 tbsp butter (chilled, cut into thin sheets)
For the Apples
Toss the apples with all the ingredients except the melted butter. Make sure each slice of the apple is coated evenly.
Add the butter and toss well to combine.
Place in the prepared crisp containers and refrigerate for 15 minutes while you make the crisp batter.
For the Crisp
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Using a low-speed setting, combine all the ingredients except the nuts and the butter in a bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment.
Add the chilled butter slices and mix until the crisp becomes crumbly, then add the finely chopped nuts and mix just until it combines evenly.
Place an ample amount of the crisp batter (we like ours with a lot of crisp) on top of each apple mixture and bake in the oven for at least 30 minutes, or until the apples begin to bubble a bit.
Raise the temperature to 375°F and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until the crisp has taken on a light brown color.
Serve hot with whipped cream or ice cream.