In my glory days of Boy Scouting ('74 to '77, or thereabouts), we learned to create all manner of camping food delicacies in a Dutch oven sunk deep in hot campfire coals. Being boys, we especially loved the sweet stuff – peach cobbler, apple dumplings, dump cakes of all varieties (just depends on what kinds of canned fruit you brought along – my favorite was a combination of canned peaches and pineapple chunks... yum...), and, as you'll discover below, the most extraordinarily ooey gooey apple crisp you could ever imagine, a sweet treat every bit as fantastic for breakfast as it was for dessert...
I was 12, so I don't remember the exact apple crisp recipe we used, but I do recall slicing up two (or more!) whole sticks of bright yellow margarine... MMMmmm...
This 100% vegan recipe comes very close to replicating the ooey gooey goodness I remember... And no margarine! I can't promise this is any healthier than the original, but come on! It's dessert, already! Kick back and enjoy!
Ingredients:
The apples:
5-6 apples, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
A Dash of ground cloves (be conservative in your "dashing..." Cloves add wonderful flavor, but can easily overpower)
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup water
The crisp:
1/2 Cup quick oats
1/2 Cup flour
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons soy milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (real or imitation, doesn't matter)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the "The apples" ingredients, except for the apples themselves.
3. Place the apples in a loaf pan. Drizzle the contents of the mixing bowl over the apples.
4. In another mixing bowl, combine all "The crisp" ingredients. Sprinkle this mixture on top of the apples.
5. Cover the loaf pan with foil and bake for 10 minutes.
6. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 20-30 minutes.
7. Goes great with any of the vegan ice creams in this book!
Note: This recipe is for making apple crisp at home, in the oven. If you're going camping and want to make this outdoors, follow the directions above, but put the apple crisp together in a Dutch oven instead of a loaf pan. Sprinkle a little water on top to keep it moist, and cook in the coals, with the lid ON at all times, for 35 to 45 minutes. Check periodically to make sure things aren't getting too dry. Add water very conservatively as needed. It's done when your nose and growling belly tell you it is! Trust your instincts, Boy Scout!