Directions

• Make Topping

Whisk the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended. Make a well in the middle and add the melted butter, vanilla, and milk. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixed and crumbly.

Form the crumbly dough into a rectangle or disc and wrap it with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Shape into a disc if your baking dish is round, and shape into a rectangle if your baking dish is rectangular.

• Make Filling

While the topping chills, make the apple filling. Peel and core the apples, then slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Add them to a large mixing bowl and toss with maple syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of flour with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Scatter the flour mixture over the apples and toss well.

• To Finish

Heat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (176° C) and lightly grease a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish with butter.

Add the apples to the baking dish, making sure to scrape all spices and liquid from the bowl.

To roll out the topping, open the plastic wrap to lay flat, place a sheet of parchment paper or more plastic wrap on top, and then roll out the dough to be about ¼-inch thick. The dough is sticky, so using parchment paper prevents it from sticking to your rolling pin.

Tear the dough into pieces and place onto the apples in the baking dish, overlapping slightly — like shingles on a roof.

Press the dough down onto the apples, then bake until the filling is bubbly, the top is firm like a cookie, and turning golden in places — 50 minutes to 1 hour. For even baking, rotate the baking dish about halfway during baking.