My Goals and Discoveries
High ratio of fruit filling to streusel topping
Starting with 4 pounds of apples and baking them under a foil cover before applying the topping allows them to collapse into a thick layer of filling.
Bright flavor; moderate sweetness
Tossing the apples with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice enhances their bright flavor. Adding just 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the filling prevents the apples from tasting too sweet.
Crunchy, cohesive topping
Adding nuts to the streusel loosens its consistency so that it doesn’t bake up dense, and a couple of teaspoons of water hydrates the flour so that the mixture clumps nicely. Applying the topping midway through baking minimizes its exposure to the juicy fruit.