Apple Brown Betty

Ingredients

• 6 slices day-old white sandwich bread
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 pounds tart apples such as Granny Smith (about 6)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3/4 cup apple cider

Before you cook

• Tear the bread into pieces and pulse it into coarse crumbs, about three cups.
• Melt the butter.
• Peel, core, and slice the apples a quarter inch thick.
• Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Toss the bread crumbs with the melted butter until every crumb is coated.
3. Stir the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a separate bowl.
4. Toss the apple slices with the lemon juice and lemon zest.
5. Scatter one third of the buttered crumbs across the bottom of the baking dish.
6. Layer half the apples over the crumbs and sprinkle with half the brown sugar mixture.
7. Add another third of the crumbs, then the rest of the apples, then the rest of the brown sugar.
8. Pour the cider evenly over the whole dish.
9. Top with the last third of the crumbs and press down lightly.
10. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
11. Take off the foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, until the top is dark golden and the apples give easily to a knife.
12. Let it stand 15 minutes, then serve warm with cream poured over.