Apple Crisp with Cardamom and Caramel Cream

We were at Wal-Mart waiting for new tires.  We grabbed a bite at McDonald's and I found a free paper with items for sale.  I can't just sit somewhere, so I paged through it and found a recipe for Apple Crisp.  I love fruit Crisps.  This one was written by Angela Shelf Medearis, with minor adjustments by ME.

 

Apple Crisp with Cardamom and Caramel Cream

4 tart baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced.  I used Granny Smith
1 cup brown sugar, divided use
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats  She recommended quick cooking, but I used Old Fashioned.
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/4 cups chopped pecans, optional

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup caramel topping

 

Pre heat the oven to 375°.  Spray a 8X8 baking dish with Pam. Set aside.

 

After peeling and slicing, place the apples in the baking dish and add 1/3 cup of the brown sugar.  Stir to coat.  Set aside.

 

In a medium bowl stir the remaining 2/3 cup brown sugar, flour, oats, cardamom, cinnamon and salt.  Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter.  Stir in the pecans, if you are using them.

 


Spread the topping over the apples and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.  The topping should be golden brown and the apples tender, but not mushy.

 

Make the caramel cream.  Use a stand mixer for the whipped cream.  Before you start the mixer, use a metal whisk vigorously to give the heavy cream a bit of volume.  This makes the whipping process take less time.  Add in the caramel cream.  I didn't have the caramel ice cream topping, but I did have the little cups of caramel dip for use with slices of apples.

 

In fact, I plan on using the rest of them to make a deconstructed caramel apple.  I will chop up a bowl of peanuts and dip the apple in the caramel and then in the peanuts.  Caramel apple without nuts and caramel on my face!

 

Whip the caramel and whipping cream together.  It took about 1 1/2 little tubs of caramel sauce to make the 1/4 cup I needed.  Continue to whip the cream until stiff peaks form.

Cool as long as you can stand it.  We waited MAYBE five minutes.  Serve warm with the caramel cream.  (You may want to drizzle the rest of the little tub of caramel over everything.  I know I did.) 

 

Because we waited just five minutes, it was really hot and I had to add a LOT of whipped cream to cool it off.  But only to keep from burning my mouth.  A safety issue, really.

This was a REALLY good dessert.  The cardamom really made it special and I had never thought to use it before.  I will from now on!  The caramel cream was delicious, but I may just use Cool Whip in the future to cut down on calories and fat.  Not way down, mind you, but some.