If you like apple pies and tortas, then you are going to LOVE this Rustic Apple Crostata with Caramel Streusel Topping . . . an Italian take on pie (with a twist of German flair that I added for my German-Scottish husband)! Last month I made a peach crostata with the last harvest of peaches and just knew that I had to make it again with apples now that we’re in full swing of autumn.
A crostata is basically the same thing as a French galette. A galette is a rustic tart with hand-folded edges. Both are easier to make than a pie yet will leave you with the feeling that you went to a lot of work . . . and really didn’t! So if baking a pie sounds like too much, then you’ll love this friendly alternative! I like that having a ‘free-form’ crust; no need to be perfect for a crostata crust! So if you think that you’re messing up the crust, that’s just OK and really part of the rustic beauty of the dish! Your family and guests will think you spent hours making this “beautiful and delicious” dessert!
The great thing about crostatas (crostate in Italian), is how insanely simple they are to make! My kind of cooking! Simple and delicious! When I bake a crostata I do something different: I double the crust dough ingredients and make a bigger crostata about the size of a regular pie. Most crostata recipes are rather small. Even though that’s OK, my family wants more of a good thing!
The dough is so simple and so flaky! It’s versatile enough to use many different kinds of fruits throughout the seasons!
How can anyone resist this beautiful creation filled with layers of apples in a thick, sweet crust topped with lots of cinnamon, sugar, and butter . . . and then drizzled with caramel? Oh, oh, OH!
“Excellent!” was the verdict of my sweets-loving and uber-picky husband. It’s always so much fun to find a winning recipe, isn’t it?
drizzled caramel sauce takes this apple crostata over the top!
What are the BEST APPLES to use for BAKING?
That’s a great question . . . and important to the best texture and flavor in your crostata, pie, or cake! There are specific apples that are just the absolute best to bake with. Any of the following apples work nicely. Select the variety that you prefer, making sure that the apples are firm, and have a nice combination of tartness and sweetness.
Recommended Apples To Use
- Granny Smith
- Honeycrisp
- Gala
- Jonagold
- Braeburn
- Pink Lady
Tips for Baking a Fruit Crostata
- When using juicier fruits such as peaches, you’ll need to sprinkle on the top of the dough, a few tablespoons of something dry such as different kinds of flour, sugars, or coconut flakes. This will help soak up the juices from those liquidy fruits quite nicely.
- On the other hand, if you use fruits that are more, you need to remember to bake the crust about a third of the time in the oven by itself and than add the fruit to cook inside the crust for the remaining amount of time.
- Don’t worry about having a perfectly formed and shaped crust; the beauty if a crostata is its natural look.
Please share the love by pinning this vertical image!
So let’s get to the recipe!
Rustic Apple Crostata with Caramel Streusel Topping
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 cups flour
- 5 Tbsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 sticks of very cold butter, sliced
- 4 – 5 Tbsp. ice water
- Melt butter to brush on dough and sugar to sprinkle on top of dough after crostata is filled with apples and ready to go in the oven.
For the Apple Filling and Streusel Topping:
- 3 pounds of apples, peeled, cored and sliced into one-third” slices (use an assortment of Granny Smith, MacIntosh, and Fuji apples)
- ½ tsp. lemon juice
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- ½ cup finely crushed vanilla wafer cookies
- ½ tsp freshly grated sea salt
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp. corn starch
- 6 Tbsp. cold butter, sliced or diced
Caramel Topping:
- Use store-bought or a home-made recipe to drizzle on top
- Serve with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.
Instructions
- Using a food processor with a steel blade: Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl and pulse several times to combine.
- Add butter slices and pulse until butter is the size of peas.
- Add ice water, continuing to pulse to combine; stopping at the point before the dough becomes a solid ball.
- Turn dough out on a well-floured wooden board and form into a circular disk.
Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour. - While peeling, coring, and slicing the apples, place them in a bowl of cold water with the lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine flour, sugar, crushed vanilla wafer cookie crumbs, salt, cinnamon, and corn starch, pulsing a few times to mix.
- Add the butter slices and pulse until crumbly (If it isn’t crumbly, do so with your hands).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Prepare the Dough:
For the Apple Filling and Streusel Topping:
Preparing the Crostata:
1. Place the chilled dough on a floured wooden board; using a floured rolling pin, roll dough into a large circle.
2. Place the rolled out dough on top of parchment paper
3. Layer the apple slices on the dough leaving a 2″ border.
4. Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the apples.
5. Gently fold the 2 inches of the outer dough border over the apple mixture, overlapping the dough into a folded side border-top.
6. With the uncooked crostata still on the parchment paper, carefully lift it up and place it (parchment paper included) inside a baking pan; it should have a snug fit (which prevents the overlapped dough from falling down).
7. Brush some melted butter on the dough and sprinkle with sugar.
8. Bake for 20 minutes on the lowest oven rack, then remove and cover the dough on the sides with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Keep an eye on the crostata for any signs of burning; cover with aluminum foil if streusel also begins to turn dark brown or black.
9. Return to the oven and bake for another 40 minutes.
10. Serve warm with ice cream and caramel sauce.
Ceramic baking dish with scalloped edges and handles
This is literally my all-time “go-to” favorite baking dish to bake crostatas and casseroles in!
Here’s a link to it for you. Totally dependable, in a great size and a nice price to boot!
Here are a few more delicious apple dessert recipes for you to enjoy:
a beautiful apple torte perfect for autumn!
.T
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This post was originally posted in 2014 and reposted in 2020 with added information.
Your apple crostata looks heavenly, Roz. I really love that crunchy streusel topping.
Thanks for your compliment Angie . . . would love to have shared a slice of this crostata with you!
xo
Roz
I do love how easily crostatas are to make. Adding streusel is the cherry on the sundae. This looks scrumptuous!
The streusel was really wonderful on this crostata Debby! Thanks for stopping by!
Roz
Oh man. I need a dessert for company on Saturday. I think this just may be the one!
Did you make the crostata Mindy? How did it turn out? I’ll be over to visit in a second!
Roz
Shut the front door! Love, love these apple desserts. I am feeling so inspired to get off my booty and create some fun delicious fall apple treat too.
Velva
P.S. We have enjoyed your salsa it was really good. I enjoyed the smoky sweet flavor. Thanks for sharing it with me,
You’re so funny Velva! Thanks for the compliments on the salsa….it usually disappears pretty quickly. We loved your honey too! I’m putting in my order request for next year!
Roz
Yum! Delicious recipe for an apple crostata. Simple is always best!
Hey Roz, Liz is in town and we went over to Southern Seasons for the day. She was totally amazed at that store as you well know. Hopefully we all could have lunch there someday and chat about recipes and blogging! Have a great week!
Oh I am so glad that you enjoyed Southern Seasons . . . how lucky for you that this renowned culinary store is in your very own backyard! What do you think if the three of us, not only meet up, but also take a cooking class together? Wouldn’t that be one of the bestest of fun?
Let me know and I’ll be there in a flash!
Roz
Yes ! What a great idea. My sister comes often and when she does I will contact you and we can book a cooking class together at Southern Seasons.
Un bacio,
Anna
wonderful treat and love the German twist
The German twist was perfect on this crostata! Thanks Rebecca!
Roz
I love apple recipes especially with streusel on top and this looks like one of the best ones I’ve ever seen! Your pictures of the crostata are beautiful. It makes me a little sad, though, that it is just a picture and not the real thing sitting in front of me so I could eat it. I will just have to make my own I guess!:) Pinning for sure. Thank you, Roz!
We can’t resist apple recipes either Shari! They are so quintessentially American! I have only recently learned of the Italian love of apple recipes (in Northern Italy only, so close to the borders of Germany and Austria). Being from the northern region of Italy, this makes us SMILE from ear to ear! I added the German flair of streusel and it made my German-Scottish husband VERY happy in the tummy!
Hugs,
Roz
that topping is divine Roz! I mean I love it and the rustic look and feel of the crostata is making me hungry. The rich earthy yet sweet flavors going on in this dish are perfect for the fall
Thank you Jessica . . . the “German” streusel topping to this “Italian” apple crostata was indeed so incredible . . . my German-Scottish husband devoured it!
xo
Roz
I love this season of apple desserts! Such a gorgeous crostada and the caramel streusel sounds like the perfect topping.
Thank you Susan, for you sweet complimentary comment and also for your years of support of this little ol’ blog of mine! Wishing you a beautiful and delicious holiday season!
Roz
Roz,
I love this crostata and prefer the slight sweetness in the pie crust. It’s perfect for fall.
Annamaria
Hi Annamaria, First of all, please forgive me for replying so late . . . fall semester is just so busy and my mother has moved in with us for the winter….. I hope that you’re doing well and enjoying a wonderful Christmas season. Thank you so much for your kind visit and compliment on my crostata!
Baci,
Roz
I can’t wait to get back home and try this luscious crostata.
I know for sure that if you prepare this apple crostata or ANY CROSTATA in your cucina, that it will be SUBLIME . . . and I cannot wait to read and learn about ANY croustade that you bake, Linda!
Buon Appetito e Buon Natale’!
Baci,
Roz
Wow – wanted to stop by and let you know that a friend and I made your tomato pie last Sunday. Excellent and thanks for sharing the recipe. And wow, this crostata sounds incredible. So many good recipes, I need more hours.
I cannot tell you how much your comment means to me, Lea Ann . . . to receive your stamp of approval on one or any of my recipes! Thank you for trying my recipe in the midst of blog-land where so many other food blogger simply ‘state’ that they approve of or will try our recipes and in fact, do not. This means a great deal to me, Lea Ann especially coming from one who is not only food blogger by passion, but also holds a full-time ‘day job’ and has a full-plate!
I, too, need more time in the week to try your fantastic recipes!
Grazie,
Roz
This is fantastic!!! I think my tummy just rumbled. I would lvoe a slice. xo
I’d love to have shared a slice of this crostata with you too Katharine! Have a blessed evening!
Roz
giggle, love not lvoe…
Oh, my gosh, Roz, you’re speaking my language! Caramel and apple desserts are my favorite and your crostata looks incredible!!
You’re speaking my lingo too, Liz — apples, caramel, sugar! Anytime of year!
Roz
What an absolute gorgeous Crostata Roz! Can’t believe it’s Fall already but here it is and the perfect time for apples, cinnamon and caramel! It’s going on my bucket list and pinned . Thanks Roz!
Perfect way to fall into autumn ….. Thank you Roz 🙂