APPLE CRISPS
I had some finely sliced apple left over from my pancakes this morning, so decided to make some apple crisps for Small Boy to have later in the day as a snack. I only have a mini fridge at the moment, so fridge space is at a premium – thought these were something I could pop in a bag and cart about to our toddler group! Also good for lunch boxes too. I have a ‘crisper tray’ that I have accumulated on my travels, but an ordinary baking sheet would be fine.
Ingredients:
1 apple, finely sliced up with a vegetable peeler
Place the apple pieces on your crisper tray or baking sheet – if using a baking sheet, very very lightly grease it with a bit of butter or a scant teaspoon of oil to stop the apple from sticking.
Pop into the oven at 180C for 20 minutes to bake and dry out the apple pieces, turning them over halfway through. You’ll know they’re done when the edges start to curl up – thicker pieces will take longer to dry out.
When you’ve turned the oven off, turn them over again and leave them in for another 20 minutes to make the most of the heat still kicking about in the oven! Remove, allow to cool, and pop into an airtight container or a sandwich bag for a portable snack.
These are easy to make when you’re using the oven for something else – just put the tray on an empty shelf or at the bottom of the oven. They will keep in an airtight container for up to three days, and make a handy portable snack.
Apple slices can also be dried by soaking in a little lemon juice, and hanging up to dry. I’ve seen tutorials on the Internet where people suspend them from cotton sewn through with a needle to dry naturally in the air, but I haven’t tried it myself.
You can also dry them in a non stick frying pan on a low to medium heat – but they will need to be turned over regularly and will take on a caramelly taste – I only thought of it afterwards!
Jack Monroe. Follow me on Twitter @MsJackMonroe. Find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/agirlcalledjack
A Girl Called Jack is available to order at Waterstones: https://m.waterstones.com/BookDetails.aspx?bookId=10013935
Categories: Recipes & Food, Vegan Recipes
COOKING ON A BOOTSTRAP 
Mmmn. Like the sound of this for lunch boxes – my son is going through a bit of stage of not wanting to take a piece of fruit to school, but might well eat these. Do you think it would work with veg? I do like those vegetables crisps, but can’t afford them, and I do have quite a bit of beetroot atm. Also what is a crisper tray?
It’s a baking tray with holes in. I had one when I lived in the shared house and it was great for drying herbs and chillies on but alas, not mine! I picked one up from the 99p shop though 🙂 Their cookware range is brilliant for odd bits!
Well I’ve just made these apple crisps they are very yummy! Only problem is there that good your eating them as you putting them in to a airtight container… I’m trying to leave some 🙂 there a bit addictive lol x
And vegetable crisps…..don’t know to be honest! I’d have a go, and see what happens. I’d be inclined to brush or spray them with a little oil first, but I’m guessing they could be baked too. Hmm, looks like I might put them on my to do list 🙂
For vegetable crisps, you need thin slices (parsnip and beetroot are superb) or small pieces (k*le simply rocks). The best idea seems to be to take a plastic bag (I know, still), put in some oil (2 spoons) and some salt (better not too much) plus other spices if you wish to and then put the veggies into the bag and toss them a bit. Put them on a sheet of baking paper (they need to be separated from each other for that) and into the preheated oven (my first try was at 200 °C, the second one at 180 °C – the first one was better). Bake for 10 minutes and then check – if they aren’t crisp (depends on their thinness) bake some more but watch them closely so as not to burn them (too much). 10 additional minutes should suffice.
Vegetable crisps must be one of the best thing I have ever eaten, but you cannot produce great quantities because the pieces have to bake separately. Still: worth a try! (or two, if you make coal at your first try, like I did)
This will totally work with beets! They have enough sweetness that they’re still tasty after drying.
If you fancy savoury crisps, parsnip is delicious. It’s unbelievable how much supermarkets charge for Apple crisps or parsnip crisps.
If you’re short on fridge space, I have a large sealed plastic box that I keep outside my back door for extra cool storage in the winter. At the moment, I just use it at night, when the temp drops below 8c. Later in the winter, when the temp is permanently below 8c I’ll use it day and night. I just popped some freshly made pasta salad and some leftovers in there, as I know I’ll be using them up in the morning. Plus I keep a jug of water, and some drinks in there to stay chilled. Hope this helps 🙂
I’m using my window ledge for fridge space too at the moment, though did think of outside as well but my garden is permanently soggy at the moment, I’m reluctant to let everything get rained on!
That’s a shame. No soggy grass is one of the very few upsides I’ve found of having a concrete yard instead of a garden. I found a big, clip seal box in a discount shop. It’s very heavy plastic, so it’s rainproof and animal proof. It’s been a godsend for cutting down my electric bills for a couple of months over the winter x
Hi Jack if you hang food in a carrier bag outside the window it survives well. It’s an old student trick you loop the handle round the handle on the inside but bag and contents outside then close the window tight. But to be honest the plastic storage boxes are good. Obviously you can’t use a sunny window. I’ve used old fridges outside as apple stores, obviously broken ones not connected to electricity xx
These look great! Will definitely be trying these soon, and maybe parsnips too as suggested above! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
I was just wondering if you know how to make potato crisps – I wonder if you do it in a similar way to the apple crisps which sound lovely thanks for sharing
You can make potato crisps in the microwave. Slice thinly, spread a little oil on the glass plate and lay the slices on it. Microwave until they are the desired brown colour, and remove them with a broad blade knife if they are a little stuck.
My SB wanted to help make pie. So i bought extra apples. But weve all been sick and the pie project was too much. This looks like an easy way to work through them.
I bet they would be nice crumbled into some oatmeal.
Tried them! Just one apple worth in the oven while the pasta bake was cooking. Very scrummy – my son had them sprinkled over his yoghurt for pudding. Can see these being made regularly. Thanks Jack 🙂
I’m going to have to give this a go, as I have a whole load of slightly over ripe apples that I need to do something with!
All these ideas sound fantastic – put me a good mood this morning! Going to try the apples and the veg. Does anyone know how to do bananas? Possibly bit more of a challenge but, so delicious. I’m about to lose my fridge, but my ‘kitchen’ is an unheated outhouse, and the weather is on my side at the moment. The plastic box is my next purchase. Great reading, Jack!
Genuis Jack – as ever!!! 🙂 I adore apple crisps – occasionally I treat us to the 2 for £1 bags of apple crisps from Morrisons. Am always gutted when the wee bag is finished and no more….
Today I find that myself with a few extra apples in the fruit bowl right now so shall give this a go tonight. Oven will be on anyway, so am looking forward to it. Shall try the pancakes too. Brill!!! Thanks again Jack
Lauraxx
Hi, are these quite popular among children? My daughter’s never had them before, but she wants to do some baking to sell in school with friends to raise money for charity. The school encourage this but ask for the stuff being sold to be healthy-ish. I thought bags of these at 20p each might do well?
Any other ideas for healthy-ish and tasty treats kids can cook with minimum supervision welcome!
My son is just 13 and he loved them!
I love doing this sort of thing. I buy plain cereals (much cheaper than the fruit & fibre styles) and add apples, cranberries etc that I have dried myself. I’m lucky to have a dehydrator that I inherited which dries several trayfulls overnight at very low power usage.
Ohh, I’m thinking diced apple to make bits to add to my muesli (I make my own by dry toasting oats in a tray when the ovens on as it’s cheaper and nut free that way. Then I dry toast sunflower seeds in a pan and add them. I often cut fruit to go with it at breakfast time but can’t always be bothered in the morning so home made dried fruit would be ideal).
Hi Jack if you hang food in a carrier bag outside the window it survives well. It’s an old student trick you loop the handle round the handle on the inside but bag and contents outside then close the window tight. But to be honest the plastic storage boxes are good. Obviously you can’t use a sunny window. I’ve used old fridges outside as apple stores, obviously broken ones not connected to electricity xx
Reblogged this on HUMAN RIGHTS & THE SIEGE OF BRITAIN POLITICAL JOURNAL.
they slice them on a mandolin here in france and dry them in the autumn sun – same goes for mushrooms …
Reblogged this on MaruMarket.
Like this a lot. Just read an article about your blog in a magazine today. Greetings from Germany.
Will definitely have a go at the apple crisps and parsnip ones as well. Always on the lookout for different tasty snacks for the kids. On the subject of apples, our apple tree has produced some nice fruit this year, so yesterday made a lovely apple and blackberry pie – blackberries courtesy of the local nature reserve. Also, I sweetened the sauce from the cooked apples and blackberries, strained it then mixed it with some cream soda and froze it into lollies. Kids really enjoyed them!