Rich toffee sauce adds lavishness to this tart autumn-fruit crisp. While nicely gooey, the slightly bitter undertone of "burnt sugar" makes the toffee sauce subtly, not overly, sweet.
Toffee Sauce
1/4 cup (50 mL) water
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
3/4 cup (175 mL) whipping cream
1/2 tsp (2 mL) pure vanilla extract
Apple Crisp
8 cups (2 L) peeled and sliced apples
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) fresh or frozen whole cranberries, cut in half
3/4 cup (175 mL) brown sugar
3/4 cup (175 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) quick-cooking rolled oats
6 tbsp (90 mL) melted butter
For toffee sauce, measure water into a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add sugar and butter; do not stir! Measure out whipping cream, set near the stove along with vanilla.
Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil without stirring. Let bubble briskly for 5 to 7 minutes or until the sugar begins to change colour. Swirl pan gently on the unit until the colour becomes deeply golden. Avert your face (as hot steam rapidly rises) and near the side of the pan, pour in whipping cream. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Slide pan off heat; stir in vanilla. Cool until lukewarm before pouring into a container; sauce thickens as it cools. (Once cooled, sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to a week.) Warm sauce in a small saucepan or briefly in the microwave before serving.
For crisp, evenly spread fruit in a 9 x 13-inch (3-L) baking dish or pan. Stir brown sugar with flour and cinnamon; mix in oats. Pour in butter; stir until crumbs form and topping is evenly moistened. Spread over fruit. Bake in preheated 350ºF (180ºC) oven 40 minutes, or until fruit is soft when tested with a skewer. Crisp is delicious warm or at room temperature. (If made ahead, cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Warm, uncovered, in a 350ºF (180º) oven for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.) To serve, pour about 1 tbsp (15 mL) of toffee syrup onto each serving plate, cover with a portion of the crisp and drizzle a bit more sauce overtop.