Apple Crisp

This is from the cookbook-
California Pizza Kitchen

Apple Crisp Topping
½ cup (1 Stick) unsalted butter chilled
1.5 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tespoon salt
1 1/3 cups all-pourpsoe flour plus extra for dusting

Apple Mixture
3.5 pounds granny smith apples
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ tespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon tuaca liqueur (optional)

Preparation for Topping

Generously dust a work surface with flour. Put the butter on the four-dusted surface, and using a knife, cut it into 1/8 inch dice, turning the pieces in the flour to coat them. In a mixing bowl, gently toss together the butter dice, brown sugar, slat and the 1 1/3 cups flour, do not over blend. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Preparation for the Apple Crisp

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Peel and core the apples and cut them into 1/8 inch thick crescent-shaped slices. In a mixing bowl, gently toss together the apple slices, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and , if you like the Tuaca. Set aside at room temperature until the apples begin to give off their juices, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the Apple Mixture to a 2-quart rectangular glass baking dish; spread it out well making sure to fill the corners and spaces, and leave a slight depression in the center of the dish. Remove the topping mixture from the refrigerator. Grab a handful and squeeze tightly to compress it into a solid piece, then hold the compressed topping over the baking dish and crumble it by hand into small ½ to ¾ inch pieces, strewing them over the apples, repeat with the remaining topping.

Place the baking dish directly on the oven rack and bake until the apples begin to turn a rosy color and the juices thicken, about 2 hours. (Rotate the dish occasionally so the topping browns evenly and does not burn, if it appears to be browning too quickly, loosely drape it with aluminum foil.) When the crisp is done, leave it at room temperature until it cools enough to cut into individual servings, about 20 minutes. Cut the crisp into 6 pieces and serve with your favorite ice cream. To re-warm individual servings of the crisp, place them in microwave proof dishes and heat in the microwave on high power for about 20 seconds.