My mom's apple crisp topping always sinks unless you chill the butter first.

3 comments

3 Comments

Totally agree with @ward.angela about the frozen butter trick. It makes ALL the difference. The science is that cold fat doesn't melt into the flour right away, so you get those separate crumbs. If your butter is soft, it just makes a paste and that paste sinks right through the apples while it bakes. I learned this the hard way after years of soggy crisps. Now I keep a stick in the freezer just for this.

xenathompson1mo ago

Used to think the type of apple mattered most for a good crisp. Learning about using cold butter changed my whole approach. Now my topping stays crumbly and never turns into a soggy mush at the bottom.

ward.angela1mo ago

Yeah cold butter is a total game changer lol. I started grating frozen butter into the flour mix with a box grater, and it gives you those perfect little chunks. Never get that greasy paste layer anymore.