Whether eaten out of hand or cooked, apples have always been my favorite fruit.  So it stands to reason that baked apples, homemade applesauce — we have two versions here — and apple pie are among my favorite desserts, although I can’t make a pie crust from scratch for love or money.  On lazy days, I’ll just bake a Gala or Honey Crisp apple with a little cinnamon and brown sugar sprinkled on top, but when I want something with a little more personality, I make this. It takes a few extra steps to prepare but in the end, it’s so worth it.    — L. Weal

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup sugar, divided as indicated below

STREUSEL
1/2 cup flour
4 tablespoons unsalted cold butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

APPLE BASE
3 sweet-tart apples (e.g. Cortland or Honeycrisp), peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

TOOLS
2 medium (3-quart) mixing bowls
mixing spoon
four 4-ounce ramekins
quarter (9” x 13”) sheet pan

METHOD
1. Set oven to 400 degrees.
2. In first bowl, cut butter into small pieces. Then add the other STREUSEL ingredients. Stir until mixture becomes crumbly.
3. In second bowl, combine APPLE BASE ingredients.
4. Divide APPLE BASE evenly into ramekins first, then top with STREUSEL.
5. Place ramekins on sheet pan and bake 25 minutes.

NOTES & TIPS
• Line sheet pan with baking mat, foil, or parchment paper to catch drips.
• To reheat: Bake in 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes.

READY IN
45 minutes

YIELD
4 servings