chai spiced apple crumble

I think one of the top complaints (or maybe the only complaint) about having fresh produce is not being able to eat it quick enough and having it go bad. I always want to buy tons at a time so I can have a variety to pick at, cook with, and mix into whatever, but that's a perfect way to have more than you can eat in the small window of freshness.

One thing I never thought of until the produce was too far gone was to quickly whip something up that will extend not only the freshness, but the deliciousness as well. I mean, a mushy berry is edible, but who wants that? I've been finding everything from baking the fruit and making jams, to freezing it into cubes to add to drinks and smoothies later.

So today I did what I've been wanting to do and salvaged two granny smith apples who had seen better days. You know the deal.. soft spots, a little bruising on the peel. Not something I want to bite into, but a little peeling, a little chopping, and you've got yourself the base for a delicious little crumble. A chai spiced crumble to be exact! Now, you can make this with fresh-off-the-tree apples for sure, I just thought I'd try this recipe as a way to bake up my existing apples that needed a little love.

This recipe calls for five apples and since I only had two, I just halved all the spices and other ingredients. I know, that's not exactly half the apples but it was delicious so good 'nuff in my book! That's some fancy baking math for ya.

I can't wait to take full advantage of the recipes I've collected and not waste a drop of fruit or veg this summer. And besides just saving my last two apples, this recipe was absolutely amazing. The chai flavor is spot on. It's like sipping a latte only you're spooning it into your mouth with baked apples. So good. The crumble is crisp and the apples are warm and tender. It would definitely be a winner over ice cream, especially with this warm weather! But I just devoured it out of a bowl and it was amazing just like that.
 
Chai Spiced Apple Crumble
recipe from Buttered Up

5 apples such as gala or granny smith, washed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (peeling optional!)
2/3 cup of sugar, divided
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup of flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
 

Preheat oven to 425F. In a greased shallow 2 qt baking dish, mix apples with 1/3 cup of sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix oats, flour, salt, spices, and butter. Combine it with your fingers until it forms into crumbles. Spread the mix on top of the apples. Bake for 25 minutes, until crumble is bubbly and golden brown.

Serve warm alone or over ice cream. Enjoy!