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1
Cut the apples in thick wedges, peel, and cut away the cores and seeds.
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2
Slice the wedges into chunks and cubes, an inch thick or larger (dont cut them too small or they will overcook).
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3
As you work, put the apple chunks in a mixing bowl and toss with some of the lemon zest and juice, to prevent browning.
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4
When youre finished, you should have about 10 cups of apples mixed with all the zest and juice.
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5
Pour the sugar over the apples, and toss gently to coat the pieces.
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6
Turn all the fruit into the saucepan, slosh the bowl with the 1/2 cup water to rinse out all the sugar, and pour that into the pan too.
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7
Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil.
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8
Stir the apples gently (so theyre all heating), cover the pan, and cook about 2 minutes.
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9
Remove the cover, and continue to boil, reducing the juices, stirring the apple chunks around a couple of times, but not mushing them up.
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10
After 5 or 6 minutes, when the apples have softened and turned translucent on the outside (they wont be cooked all the way through), remove the pan from the heat.
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11
If the chunks have started to fall apart, turn them out of the saucepan into a bowl to stop cooking; otherwise, let the apples and the remaining liquid cool to room temperature (the chunks will reabsorb some of their juices as they sit).
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12
The apples can be cooked a day ahead and refrigerated; let them warm up a bit before serving.
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13
Have the apples, crumbled-up crisp, and serving glasses ready.
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14
Whip the cream until soft peaks form, by hand or in an electric mixer.
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15
(No sugar or flavoring is needed, since the apples and crisp are quite sweet.)
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16
Spoon about 1/2 cup of apple chunks into each glass, making a thick layer that fills the bottom.
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17
Scatter crisp crumbles on topanywhere from 2 to 5 tablespoons on each parfait.
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18
Plop 1/2 cup or so of whipped cream on top of the crisp crumbles.
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19
Now repeat the layersapples, crumbles, creamin each glass.
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20
These can be smaller amounts, or as ample as the bottom layers, for an impressive and generous dessert.
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21
Preheat the oven to 400.
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22
It is quickest to mix the crisp in the food processor, fitted with the metal blade.
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23
Put the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in the work-bowl.
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24
Process briefly to blend the dry ingredients.
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25
Drop in the butter pieces and pulse a dozen or so times, until the butter has been uniformly cut into a sandy powder of small bits.
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26
Sprinkle on the water, and process for a couple of seconds only, just to moisten the dough; it should still be rather loose and granular.
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27
To mix by hand, blend the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and cut the butter into the grainy powder with a pastry cutter.
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28
Toss the powder and water with a fork to moisten.
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29
Line the baking sheet with the parchment paper.
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30
Sprinkle the loose grains of dough evenlyin one layerin an oval shape about 8 by 12 inches, filling in any holes and keeping the layer thin; dont compress them.
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31
Bake for about 10 minutes, then rotate back to front, for even heating.
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32
The crumbs will have melted together, spread out in a thin layer, and perhaps started to bubble.
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33
Bake for another 7 to 10 minutes or more, until the layer is deeply caramelized, golden brown all over (and probably very dark on the edges).
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34
It will resemble a giant brown sugar cookie.
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35
Set the pan on a wire rack, and cool until the cookie is very crisp.
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36
Cut or break off any burnt edges.
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37
Crack the cookie into crispy flakes, an inch or smaller.
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38
This is a good size for munching; you can crumble them up a bit more when layering the parfait.
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39
Parfait glasses (can be anything you have in the house, from parfait glasses and wine glasses, balloon-shaped or standard, to tumblers or even conic beer glasses; size should be appropriate for a portion, and you want the layering of fruit, crumble, and cream to be visible)
