Carolyn's Apple Crisp

YUM!!! How I can remember grandma making this crisp from the apples that she and grandpa grew! This was one of my very favorite things that grandma made! I can remember there being several bushels of apples sitting in the kitchen for grandma to process into jelly, juice, and applesauce. Jars and jars of applesauce would line the pantry shelves, as would opaque jars of jelly from not only apples, but quince and grapes. Grandma never made much apple jelly, but she sure made the applesauce!
She would also make lots of pies from whatever fruit was in season at the time, cherries, peaches, and finally the apples, when they came ripe in late fall.
Grandpa did the pruning, the bug spraying, the picking, and grandma would process the fruits from these trees into many items, including fruit packed in syrup. The apples they grew were Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, McIntosh, and Winesap. Grandma would use one of the latter three, but I prefer Granny Smith's.
Grandma would make apple pie, which was always my favorite pie and still is, but then she would make this crisp which is different from any other crisp I have ever had. Most other crisps are a granola base made with oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, butter, and nuts, but this topping is so very different in taste and texture, with its rich buttery crunchy top and its soft and delicious insides. It is a perfect accompaniment to the apples bedded beneath.
I know grandma got this recipe from a newspaper, too, but when and which one is anyone's guess. How long had she been making this particular crisp I don't know, and perhaps uncle Ed or Jerry will remember (my dad never remembers these things!), but it doesn't matter where it came from or when, I am just glad she found it.

Carolyn's Apple Crisp

About 3 pounds of baking apples, pared, cored, sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 stick melted butter (no spreads!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine apples with brown sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour into a pie dish or 9" square pan; set aside.
Combine sugar, flour, and baking powder. Add egg and mix well until crumbly. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over apples, making sure all apples are covered. Pour melted butter evenly over crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until crumb mixture is golden brown.