Pesach Apple Crisp

Mar 15, 2021 | Contributed by: Yael Tusk www.yaeltusk.com

I am not a fan of cake-like damp soggy apple kugel any time of year, but I find the pesach variety particularly revolting. I decided to create an apple crumb recipe instead, because I figured it would be easier to mimic apple crisp, which is much more popular than the wet kugel to start with!

The following is hands down the best pesach apple crisp recipe I’ve tried. It’s also the only one I’ve ever tried, because everyone I know has been stubbornly trying to create soggy apple cakes. It took many tests to get the ratio right. This one must be measured pretty carefully to create a workable crumb.

(Crumbs are enough for 2 apple crisps i.e. 16 apples)

  • 170g ground walnuts (1 U.S. bag=1 ½ cups) Note: if you use a different nut, the amount of oil changes
  • ¾ C. brown sugar
  • ½ c. potato starch
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 C. Oil
  • 16 green apples peeled and chopped
  • Unpreserved lemon juice

Prepare the crumbs before you prepare the apples
Mix the dry ingredients
Slowly add the oil mixing the crumbs and checking for the right texture: not powdery, but not one big lump either.
Add more potato starch if it gets too sticky
Peel apples and put in a glass (or paper lined) baking dish with a splash of lemon juice
Sprinkle crumbs over apples
Bake uncovered low and long to make the apples tender and the crumbs crispy but not burned: 150ºC./300ºF

Note: The crumbs are very rich, and a little goes a long way. I usually use only half the crumbs for 8 apples and freeze the other half to make another crisp the second day(s) of yomtov.