Carter’s Mountain

Did you all enjoy your weekend? Oh my goodness, the weather here in the Northeast was amazing – you couldn’t help but spend your time outdoors. It was that perfect sneak peak of Fall weather and oh, I am so looking forward to Fall (as it will bring a new little man into my life… 1.5 months and counting)!

Other than hiking through the ever-changing colors of the Shenandoah foliage, one of my favorite Fall pastimes is apple picking. It never fails to bring out that child at heart – there is something so special about finding that perfectly sized, shiny apple. It just makes you want to clap your hands in delight and deliciousness! And yes, I was clapping often.

Somehow, I am incredibly lucky enough to live 5 minutes from an amazing apple and peach orchard at Carter’s Mountain, one of the many wonders Charlottesville has to offer.

Not only are the views spectacular, the orchards are abundant, the apple cider is mouth-watering, and the peach frozen yogurt out of this world! It’s a must stop if you are in the Charlottesville area.

Unfortunately, my husband reigned me in and gave me a limit to the number of apples I could pick…so with a dozen apples (and another dozen peaches, but more on that later!) in my bag and perhaps a couple already in my belly, I headed home pretty darn content and ready to bake.

Now, I know many of you would go straight for the apple pie, but honestly, I’m a cobbler and crumble kind of gal. So after a quick Google search, I came across the perfect apple cinnamon crumple recipe courtesy of Two Peas and Their Pod.

Here’s what the recipe calls for:

8 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples (about 9 medium apples)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup all-purpose Gold Medal Flour

For the crumble topping:

1 cup all-purpose Gold Medal Flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced

After eating another two of the apples, I was left with 10 fairly large apples to work with (the perfect amount for 3 pie-sized crumbles) so I played around with the measurements a bit…

…but it’s pretty darn difficult to ruin a crumble so for all you non-bakers out there (like myself…), this is a recipe to try! If you love the caramel taste of brown sugar or vanilla extract, feel free to add a little more, or cut down on the sugar and add extra oats for a healthier version.

The Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Gently toss until apples are well coated. Let the apple mixture sit while you prepare the crumble topping.

3. For the crumble topping: in a large bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together with a whisk. Mix in the butter with your fingers until the mixture comes together and you have big crumbles.

4. Place the apple mixture in a 12 inch skillet. Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the apples. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the crumbly is browned and bubbling. Serve warm or at room temperature.

A 12-inch skillet was use over at Two Peas and Their Pod – I chose to use pie tins only because I wanted to give a couple as gifts (it’s much more savvy to hand over a pie tin that a large skillet!). If you are making this only for yourself, I highly recommend using the skillet.

What a glorious end to a perfect semi-Fall weekend – vanilla ice cream with warmed apple crumble. But even better? Apple crumble and fruit for breakfast!