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This apple brown betty is completely divine! Image layers of tender apples and caramelized bread cubes baked collectively into one heat, gooey dessert. Topped with a golden, crumbly streusel, it’s simple to make and the flavors are heard to beat!
Cozying into fall? An in depth relative of apple crisp and apple cobbler, this apple brown betty is the nice and cozy, comforting dessert you’ve been searching for. SO simple to make with only a few primary components, this twist on a traditional recipe transforms humble pantry staples right into a decadent, completely addictive deal with. Because the apples bake, their pure juices mingle with the brown sugar and butter, making a gooey, caramel-like sauce that’s completely irresistible. The apples are layered with bread cubes that soften as they absorb all of these caramelized juices. And the buttery streusel on high!? It provides the right crisp end (with only a trace of cinnamon).
This wonderful dessert is easy sufficient to throw collectively on the final minute, but elegant sufficient to impress at any gathering. Plus, it’s an effective way to repurpose leftover bread. Prepared, set, bake!
This Apple Brown Betty Brings the Heat, Buttery Magic
This apple brown betty hits all the best notes for fall. Right here’s why you’ve acquired to make it asap:
- Wildly simple to make. With only a few primary components and minimal effort, this dessert comes collectively very quickly. All it’s a must to do is layer collectively apples, brown sugar, bread cubes, and a few melted butter, high all of it with a straightforward streusel, after which pop it within the oven.
- Spectacular caramelized taste. Because the apples bake, their pure juices mix with the sunshine brown sugar (and butter) to create a wealthy, caramelized sweetness that’s completely irresistible. With the buttery, cinnamon-spiked streusel on high, it’s the right cozy, comforting deal with.
- Splendidly versatile. This recipe is endlessly adaptable! Swap apples for pears, peaches, or berries, or use no matter bread you’ve available, and don’t be afraid so as to add a mix-in or two! Try the “Variation Concepts” under for extra inspiration!
What Is a Brown Betty?
A brown betty is a standard American dessert that dates again to colonial instances. Its cousins embody crisps, cobblers, and crumbles, and these 4 desserts are sometimes confused. So, enable me to make clear.
Crisps usually have a crunchy oat-based topping, cobblers function a biscuit or batter topping as a substitute of crumbs, and crumbles are much like crisps however normally skip the oats for a finer, streusel-like topping. A brown betty does none of that. As a substitute, it options layers of fruit (normally apples) and sweetened crumbs (typically buttery bread or cracker crumbs) baked collectively for a wealthy, homestyle taste and texture.
Why This One Is a Little Totally different
Extra conventional apple brown betties usually use three layers of breadcrumbs, with a layer on high as a substitute of a streusel. I discovered this methodology typically leaves the highest dry and unappealing, although. I made a decision to take a danger and distribute the bread cubes (not crumbs) all through two layers and end it with a streusel topping. This method creates a extra visually interesting dessert with a extra flavorful, moist topping.
Recipe Elements
You may have already got every thing you want for this brown betty in your kitchen! Right here’s a guidelines for you (you’ll discover exact measurements within the recipe card under):
Apple filling
- Apples – I typically use simply Granny Smiths right here, however you would use a mixture of Granny Smiths and one other apple, like Honeycrisps.
- Cubed bread – You need to use any sort of bread for this recipe, however I discover that white bread (particularly French bread) provides one of the best taste. Its impartial style permits the caramelized sweetness of the apples and sugar to shine, greater than it might with wheat or different flavored breads.
- Gentle brown sugar – Be certain that to pack it into the measuring cup to get the correct quantity. You need to use darkish brown sugar when you want a deeper, extra molasses-y taste.
- Unsalted butter (melted) – Whereas you need to use salted butter, I feel it’s a little bit a lot for this recipe. So, keep on with unsalted when you can.
- Water – For a little bit added moisture.
Streusel
- All-purpose flour – You need to use a top quality 1:1 gluten-free flour as a substitute when you want.
- Gentle brown sugar – Once more, make certain to pack it into the measuring cup for the correct measurement. Darkish brown sugar can even work.
- Floor cinnamon – If you happen to’d like so as to add a pinch of nutmeg as properly, you’ll be able to.
- Salt – Only a smidge to interrupt up the sweetness of the dessert.
- Unsalted butter (melted) – You need to use salted butter, however when you do, I would go away out the added salt within the streusel.
Methods to Make an Apple Brown Betty
Able to get baking? Right here’s a fast overview of methods to make this stellar dessert. Remember to scroll to the recipe card under for extra detailed directions.
- Prep the apples. Peel and slice the apples into 1/4-inch wedges.
- Preheat. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Assemble. Add half of the cubed bread to a 9-inch sq. pan, adopted by half of the brown sugar after which half of the apple slices. Repeat the layers with the remaining bread, brown sugar, and apple slices. Pour the water and melted butter over all of it.
- Bake. Cowl loosely with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes. Take away the foil and bake for 5-10 minutes.
- Serve. Serve heat with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and/or salted caramel sauce.
Suggestions for Success
So simple as this apple brown betty is, I do have some pointers that’ll set you up for fulfillment. Right here they’re:
- Skinny, even slices. Slice the apples to about ¼ inch thickness. In the event that they’re too thick, they gained’t cook dinner by correctly. Additionally, goal for even-sized items to make sure even baking.
- A word on bread cubes. Slice your bread into 1-inch cubes. Any larger they usually make the dessert a little bit awkward to eat. If they’re smaller, they have a tendency to get a little bit too soggy.
- Maintain to the measurements. If you happen to use extra (or fewer) apples, there can be roughly juice launched throughout baking, which might have an effect on the thickness of the filling. The identical applies to the bread, butter, and sugar. So keep on with the recipe!
- Even distribution. When layering the bread, apples, and brown sugar, unfold every element out evenly. In any other case, you’ll find yourself with some parts which are too candy (or not candy sufficient) and a few parts which have too many (or too few) items of apple and/or bread.
- Bake till tender. The streusel ought to want about 45-50 minutes within the oven (coated) plus a further 5-10 minutes uncovered. That mentioned, no two ovens appear to bake the identical. So, test on the apples. You’ll know your brown betty is completed when the apples are tender and the filling is bubbly.
Variation Concepts
Be at liberty to get artistic with this recipe! Listed here are some enjoyable methods to make it your personal:
- Strive a special fruit. Whether or not it’s peaches, berries, pears, or [insert your favorite fruit here], be happy to experiment. Remember the fact that some fruits are juicier than others, which might affect the thickness of the filling.
- Use a enjoyable bread. I do like the way in which the white bread on this recipe lets the flavour of the caramelized apple shine by. That mentioned, you’ll be able to definitely change it up. One of many nice issues about this recipe is having the ability to deplete stale bread, so attempt it with what you’ve available.
- Intriguing mix-ins. Need a little bit further crunch? Layer in some toasted pecans or walnuts! You may attempt chocolate (or white chocolate) chips, too! Or raisins!
Methods to Retailer and Reheat Extras
- Fridge. As soon as the brown betty has cooled to room temperature, wrap the baking dish tightly in plastic wrap or switch all of it to an hermetic container. You’ll be able to retailer it within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
- Freezer. I don’t advocate freezing this dessert. It’ll doubtless find yourself a lot softer after thawing and might be mushy. It’s not exhausting to make, so contemporary is the higher expertise.
- To reheat. Unwrap the unique baking dish (or switch the leftovers to a baking dish if relevant) and canopy with aluminum foil. Bake at 350°F for 10 or so minutes till heat. You too can microwave particular person parts in 30-second intervals till heated by.
Extra Should Strive Apple Desserts
With fall within the air, apple desserts are on everybody’s thoughts. Listed here are just a few of my favorites to get you thru the season:
Recipe
Apple Brown Betty
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook dinner Time: 50 minutes
Whole Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 6-8
Class: Desserts
Methodology: Baking
Delicacies: American
Description
This streusel-topped apple brown betty is divine! Juicy apples are baked with brown sugar and butter, making a luscious, caramelized filling that seeps into mushy, tender bread cubes. It’s so good!
Elements
Filling
- 3–4 giant apples (see notes)
- 6 cups (198g) cubed bread (see notes)
- 1 1/2 cups (337g) packed mild brown sugar
- 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (60ml) water
Streusel topping
- 1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (112g) packed mild brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon floor cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, melted
Directions
- Peel the apples and slice them into 1/4-inch thick wedges. If they’re too thick, they gained’t cook dinner by correctly. You’ll want 4 ½ cups (bout 475 grams) of sliced apple, which must be 3-4 giant apples.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Seize a 9-inch sq. pan and add about half of the cubed bread evenly to the underside of the pan. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar evenly over the bread. High with half of the apple slices. Repeat the layers with the remaining bread, brown sugar and apple slices.
- Pour the water and melted butter evenly excessive of the apples, then put aside.
- Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt for the streusel to a medium dimension bowl and stir to mix. Add the melted butter and stir collectively till properly mixed and crumbly.
- Sprinkle the streusel combination evenly excessive of the apples. Pan can be very full.
- Cowl loosely with foil and bake for about 45-50 minutes. Take away the foil and bake 5-10 extra minutes, till the apples are tender and the filling is bubbly.
- Serve heat with ice cream, whipped cream, and even caramel sauce. Retailer leftovers properly coated within the fridge. Finest if eaten inside 3-4 days.
Notes
- Apples – I like to recommend utilizing both simply Granny Smith, or a mixture of Granny Smith and one other apple, like Honeycrisp. You’ll want 4 ½ cups (bout 475 grams) of sliced apple, which must be 3-4 giant apples. Slice them about ¼ inch thick. If they’re too thick, they gained’t cook dinner by correctly.
- Bread – The bread must be cubed into about 1-inch cubes. You need to use any bread, however I discover the flavour of a white bread (I used 160 grams of French bread – different breads might weigh roughly) to be higher than wheat or one other brown or flavored bread. The caramelized taste comes by higher.
Diet
- Serving Measurement: 1 serving
- Energy: 570
- Sugar: 62.1 g
- Sodium: 474.8 mg
- Fats: 24.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 87.3 g
- Protein: 4.4 g
- Ldl cholesterol: 61 mg
