Miso Caramel Apple Crisp

Steps

1. Make the miso caramel: In a small bowl, whisk the white miso into the warm heavy cream until completely dissolved and no streaks remain; set aside. In a medium heavy saucepan, stir the granulated sugar and water over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the syrup turns deep amber, 8–10 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the butter until melted. Gradually stream in the miso-cream mixture — it will bubble up violently — whisking constantly until the caramel is glossy and smooth. Stir in the vanilla and flaky sea salt, then pour into a heatproof bowl to cool. The caramel thickens as it sits; reserve ½ cup for the filling and keep the rest warm for drizzling.
2. Preheat and prep: Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center. Butter a 9x13-inch (or similar 3-quart) baking dish.
3. Macerate the apples: In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until every slice is coated. Let sit for 10 minutes so the apples release their juices — the cornstarch dissolves into that liquid now, which is what keeps the filling thick instead of watery later.
4. Parcook the filling (the anti-watery step): Scrape the apples and all their juices into a wide skillet or Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat, folding gently, until the liquid reduces to a glossy syrup and the apples are just tender but still hold their shape, 6–8 minutes. Off the heat, fold in the ½ cup of reserved miso caramel until the apples are evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared dish in an even layer.
5. Make the topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and work them in with your fingertips, pressing and rubbing until the mixture forms clumpy, pea-sized crumbs. Cold butter is the whole trick — it steams in the oven and bakes into crunchy clusters, where melted butter would give you a sandy, soft crust.
6. Assemble: Scatter the topping loosely over the apples by the handful, covering the surface but leaving the odd gap so steam can escape. Do not press it down.
7. Bake: Bake until the topping is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling thickly around the edges, 40–45 minutes. If the topping browns before the filling bubbles, tent loosely with foil and continue baking.
8. Finish and serve: Let the crisp rest on a wire rack for 15 minutes so the juices set. Rewarm the remaining miso caramel until pourable, drizzle it in ribbons over the top, and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.