TWD- Strawberry Apple Double Crisp

{printable recipe here}
My husband, Mr. Carbohydrate himself, loves fruit crisp in any variety so I knew this week's Tuesdays with Dorie treat, Strawberry Rhubarb Double Crisp would be a hit. Of course I've never made anything with Rhubarb (am I the only one?) and there's none at the store- so I subbed in an easy favorite- apples. They're cheap, delicious, and easy to prepare using my favorite apple slicer and peeler. Strawberries are barely in season and still way too much money so I used some that I had sliced and frozen last summer instead of fresh.

Then I catered to the needs of the group- no nuts, no ginger (fine, that was my doing), and extra cinnamon. A little less sugar in the filling, a little extra citrus, and this crisp was the real deal- even if it was nothing at all like Dorie intended.You could easily sub in different fruit (maybe cran apple next time?) and spices and the end product will be great- you know, butter, sugar, fruit, how bad can that be? Just don't forget the ice cream and come back tomorrow for the Wednesday Want! You can see my loosely based version of the recipe below or the real deal from Sarah here.

Anne Strawberry Apple Double Crisp
{printable recipe here}
adapted from Baking by Dorie Greenspan

For the Filling:
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced (about 1 pound)- frozen is fine too
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 medium apples (pink lady, granny smith, something crisp)
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
zest of half an orange (about a quarter cup)

For the Crisp:
1 cup flour
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup oats
pinch of salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted and cooled

Preheat the oven to 350. Set a baking dish (I used a medium rectangular pyrex, something around 9 x 9 or 7 x 11) on top of a baking sheet.

Stir together the water and cornstarch and set aside to dissolve. In a medium saucepan, combine the strawberries and sugar. Using a fork, wooden spoon, or potato masher, cook the strawberries over medium heat, while stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and bring it back to a boil. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes until the filling is thick and turns clear. Stir in the vanilla and set aside while you prepare the apples.

Peel and slice the apples into halved, 1/2 inch thick wedges. Toss with orange zest and juice and set aside.

To prepare the crisp- combine the flour, sugar, oats, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl and blend with your fingers. Pour over the melted butter and gently combine ingredients with a fork.

Put half the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and pat down to make a crust. Pour in the apples and pour over the strawberry filling. Smooth the jam and evenly sprinkle over the rest of the crumb mixture. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until slightly browned, bubbly, and fragrant. Allow to cool for five or ten minutes and serve warm with ice cream.