Appled to a Crisp

Oh, Pesach.....I actually love it. Why? Well, aside from getting to spend time with my family over the course of many days of yuntif (and many many many meals) and getting almost 2 weeks off from work (this is THE reason I work in Jewish education....just kidding), I get to really put my chef's hat on and challenge myself to create food that tastes really good - that you may actually want to eat when it's NOT Pesach, too! My Quinoa and Cheese from a couple days ago is one of those recipes that I can already see myself making throughout the year, when I need a good side dish to bring to a milchig Shabbos meal (or, hello, Shavuos coming up!).

For the final days of Pesach, you still need something a little bit sweet....but after almost a week of matzah and butter (preferably Breakstones) with salt, matzah and cream cheese, matzah and jelly, matzah pizza, matzah lasagna, etc. we all wanted something a little bit lighter. When I think "light," I think fruit. You all know that lemon is my #1 favorite flavor, but cinnamon is a close second, and apple-cinnamon is a winning combo in my book. My mom started to briefly mention something that one of our neighbors made, where she baked apples that had been sprinkled with chopped nuts and had a cinnamon stick somewhere in there....and then inspiration struck (cue the gospel choir): why not make individual apple crisps....like, actually take a whole apple, coat it with a crisp topping, and bake it like I do with a normal baked apple? I did just that: made a really simple crisp topping, packed it around apples that I had peeled and cored, and then filled the apples with raisins, brown sugar, and cinnamon. The apples got soft on the inside, the outside got crispy, and the gooey caramel filling was perfect. Try this one - just substitute flour during the year for the cake meal. Trust me on this one!

Crisped Apples

4 apples
1 stick margarine, divided
2/3 cup cake meal
1 cup ground almonds
1 cup brown sugar, divided
2 tsp. cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup water

1. Peel the apples. Cut the tops and bottoms off of each apple, so that they are flat on top and can stand sturdily. Using a paring knife and/or a spoon, remove the cores from each apple so that there is a clean "tunnel".
2. In a small microwaveable bowl, melt 4 tbsp. of margarine. Add the cake meal, ground almonds, 2/3 cup of brown sugar, and 1 tsp. of cinnamon and mix to make a semi-wet and crumbly mixture.
3. Pack about a quarter of the mixture onto each apple, coating the apples evenly, but not too thickly with the crumb topping so that they apples are completely covered. Place the apples standing up in an 8x8 inch greased dish.
4. Place a spoonful of raisins inside each apple "tunnel," as well as a generous sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon. Put the remaining raisins, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the dish in the middle of all the apples. 
 5. Cut the remaining 4 tbsp. of margarine into small pieces and put one piece in the middle of each apple. Place the other pieces along the dish on top of any sugar or raisins that you sprinkled in. (Top the apples with any remaining crumb mixture.)
6. Pour the water along the base of the dish and bake the apples at 425 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the crumb topping gets crispy. Check the apples after 30 minutes to see if they are done or to check if you need to add additional water, so that the caramel doesn't burn.