Ingredients
- 6 medium apples (Cortland or McIntosh), peeled, cored, sliced
- 80 ml pure Quebec maple syrup (amber, rich taste)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 120 g rolled oats
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 60 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 tbsp maple syrup (for topping)
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
Method
- Preheat oven to 175 °C (350 °F). Toss apple slices with 80 ml maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice; spread in a buttered 20×30 cm baking dish.
- Combine oats, flour, and salt. Cut in cold butter until crumbly, then drizzle 3 tbsp maple syrup over top and toss to coat.
- Spread topping evenly over apples.
- Bake 40–45 min until topping is golden and fruit is bubbling. Serve warm.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 100 g granulated sugar (for filling) + 50 g brown sugar (for topping)
Conversion used: Replace granulated sugar with 80 ml maple syrup in filling; replace brown sugar topping with 3 tbsp maple syrup drizzled over oat mixture. Reduce any added juice by half. Oven stays same — croustade handles natural sugars well due to dry topping buffer.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple syrup enhances the natural apple flavour with warm, woodsy notes that sugar cannot replicate; the mineral content supports a more nutritious dessert with a lower glycemic response.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →