Kick this crowd-pleasing classic into high gear with peanuts! Not only delicious, but also an easy and fun way to get the kids involved in the kitchen. Try it with your favourite in-season fruit.
Ingredients
Apple Mixture
8 apples, about 3½ lbs (1.75 kg)
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
Peanut Butter Crumble
1 cup (250 mL) large flake oatmeal
1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour, or a combination of the two
1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar
½ cup (125 mL) chopped peanuts, preferably unsalted
½ tsp (2 mL) each allspice and cinnamon
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
⅓ cup (75 mL) butter
¼ cup (60 mL) peanut butter
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Peel and core apples, then cut into wedges, about ½-inch (1-cm) thick. Apples should measure 8 to 9 cups (2 to 2.25 L). Place in a large bowl and toss with cinnamon and vanilla. Turn into a baking dish, measuring 9- to 10-inches (23- to 25-cm) square.
Using the same bowl, stir oatmeal with flour, brown sugar, peanuts, spices and salt until blended. In a small saucepan, melt butter with peanut butter. While stirring, use a fork to drizzle peanut butter mixture into oatmeal mixture, until mixed but still clumpy. Using your hands, crumble onto apples.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. If crumble is a deep golden brown, loosely cover with foil. Continue baking 20 to 30 minutes (checking and covering crumble if needed), or just until apples are very tender. Serve as is, or with ice cream or whipped cream.
