Lazy Apple Pie in a Jar

I love apple pies, but to be quite honest with you... sometimes I'm just a bit too lazy to do it.

One night I was craving an apple pie so bad that I decided to make one for myself. So I peeled the apple, made the sauce, cooked the apple... But by the time I was supposed to make the crust and preheat the oven I was sooo sleepy already. So I put the filling in a mason jar and pop it in the fridge. "I'll finish it tomorrow". Ha!

The next morning, all that energy to make pies was gone. So I had an idea: I toasted some bread, put a spoonful of the hot filling on top, sprinkled some good granola, and Ta-da! Instantaneous delicious! The buttery toast, the amazing filling, and the crunch of the granola were all that I needed to fulfill my apple pie cravings.

Since then, once in a while when I have a lot of apples, I do some quick apple pie filling and leave it in the fridge. This way I can enjoy my Lazy Apple Pie at any time! And now I'll show you who to do it!

Tip: Later I discovered another advantage: it lasts a lot longer than a regular apple pie. Great if you live alone.

Step 1: Ingredients

Filling

4 apples peeled and thinly sliced

1 lemon or lime - juiced

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup light brown sugar ("demerara sugar") - or any sugar, really

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg freshly ground if possible

1 tablespoon butter - substitute or take it out for a vegan version

For the buttery-crunchiness

Toasts

Granola

Butter - substitute or take it out for a vegan version

Tip: don't worry too much about precision in the apple quantities or variety. Use what you have. Usually, I mix different types of apples (Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, etc) and I discovered that this is great to balance the taste out. But if you're going to buy apples for this recipe, take with you some Granny Smith, since the tartness of it goes well with the sugar! And if you only have like 3 or 5 apples at home, do it anyway. You'll have a bit more or less sauce in the apple-sauce ratio but is not really a problem.

Step 2: Preparing the Filling

1. Prepare a lemon bath for your apples, with water and the juice of one lemon in a bowl. This will prevent your apple from going brown while you're peeling and cutting them.
2. Peel and cut the apples in thin slices, one at a time, and putting the cut one in the lemon bath.
3. Put the water, sugar, cornstarch, and spices in a large saucepan. Mix it well before bringing it to heat, so the cornstarch doesn't clump.
4. Stir frequently until the mixture thickens and starts to simmer.
5. Drain the apples and add them to the mixture. Stir until it's all coated.
6. Lower the heat and leave it for about 10-12 minutes.
7. In the end, add the butter to the pan and mix it until it is all melted and well incorporated into the mixture.
8. Allow the filling to cool in room temp and then transfer it to your mason jar and store it in the fridge.

Step 3: Putting All Together

1. Take a fill Tablespoon of your filling out of the mason jar, I use about 2 tablespoons per toast.
2. Heat it for about 30 seconds in the microwave. This is optional, but I love a warm apple pie so I recommend it.
3. Toast your slices of bread and put a bit of butter on it, while still hot
4. Put you filling on top of the toast and a bit of granola on top of the filling. And voilà. You have your Lazy Apple Pie. It goes well with some vanilla ice cream... Oh no. Now I'm craving it again.