When there was no time to bake an apple pie, this was my Mom's quick and easy go to dessert. It was inexpensive and so easy to make and she usually had everything on hand in her pantry. I love the way the house smells when it's baking in the oven and there's nothing quite like this warm dessert with cold ice cream melting all around it. It's even better than apple pie with a crust that is so crisp and buttery. Put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a warm apple Brown Betty or maybe some caramel or cinnamon whipped cream, and you’ll have delightful dessert that is the star of the show.
Apple Brown Betty
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 pounds (about 4 medium) apples
1/3 cup sugar
3 cups soft white bread crumbs ( I use a food processor)
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 13 X 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with butter, and set aside.
Melt butter in microwave. Peel and core apples, and cut into bite-size chunks. Pour lemon juice over apples and then toss well to cover. Add sugar and stir well. Set aside.
In another medium-size mixing bowl, mix bread crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until most crumbs are coated with butter.
Spoon half of apples into buttered dish. Top with half of bread crumbs. Repeat with remaining apples and crumbs.
Bake, uncovered, until apples are tender and top of Betty is crisp and brown, about 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool 15 minutes. Serve in dessert bowls, topped with vanilla ice cream.