A Slice of Heaven: My Grandma Rose's Apple Crumble

Allow me to tell you a story. It's about apples, cinnamon, and much love. The thing is, my Grandma Rose wasn't just a kind of grandma; she was sort of a culinary magician. Her apple crumble? Well, forget what you thought you knew about dessert; it was an experience, an embrace in a bowl-a taste of pure unadulturated happiness. I remember being a little tyke, sitting at her kitchen table, watching her work. The rhythmic thud of the apples hitting the bowl, the sweet scent of cinnamon filling the air. it was magic. And let me tell you, the crumble? It was even better than the magic. This recipe is not just a collection of ingredients; it is a part of my heart, passed down through generations. Today, I share it with you, hoping it brings the same warmth and happiness into your kitchen.

Ingredients: A Symphony of Sweetness

Before we delve into the process, let's get our ingredients together. Now, I am not one for fancy names or complicated measurements; this recipe is all about keeping things simple and delicious. Trust me, you don't have to be a Michelin-star chef to make this. Seriously, once I botched it up, adding way too much cinnamon, it was a cinnamon explosion, but still tasted pretty good!

• Apples: About 6-8 medium-sized apples: peeled, cored, and sliced. The Granny Smith or any mixture of tart and sweet varieties work great, but do use whatever you have on hand. Life's too short to stress about precise apple varieties.
• Flour: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour. Feel free to get a little crazy and substitute in a little whole wheat flour for an extra texture.
• Brown Sugar: 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar. This gives the crumble that lovely caramel sweetness.
• Butter: 1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes. Cold butter is important for a crumbly topping. I once used margarine once because I ran out, and it was. well, let's just say I stick to butter now.
• Cinnamon: 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Do feel free, however, to add a pinch of nutmeg; it's a good companion to cinnamon.
• Lemon Juice: 1 tablespoon lemon juice. This keeps the apples from browning and brings a bit of zing.
• Optional: A handful of oats adds a nice texture to the topping. I sometimes add pecans or walnuts for extra crunch but its totally up to you, and to be honest, I often forget.

I usually buy everything from my local farmer's market—the apples are always so fresh and delicious!