Recipes and Cooking Apple-Almond Brave Betty Be the first to rate & review! This spin on the classic Brown Betty gets a "brave" update from amaretti cookies and bourbon. A pie-size betty is traditional, but if you like, assemble the recipe in individual ovenproof ramekins. By Leah Eskin Leah Eskin Instagram Twitter Leah Eskin is a former recipe writer for Better Homes & Gardens and best known for her column "Sweet Life" in Midwest Living magazine. She is skilled in recipe development and personal narrative writing. Prior to working for Dotdash Meredith (formerly, Meredith Corporation), she was a regular columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Her former column, "Home on the Range," like "Sweet Life," mingled recipes with personal stories that make the recipes even more poignant and whimsical. Leah's 2014 memoir, "Slices of Life: A Food Writer Cuts through Many a Conundrum," is part cookbook and part storytelling as she offers up recipes such as "Bad Haircut Kale Chips" or "New Baby Risotto."Leah has worked as both a writer and a teacher, contributing to a tutorial program for the Maryland Correctional Institution as well as a Johns Hopkins University liberal arts program called "The Odyssey." At Johns Hopkins, she personally taught memoir and personal narrative writing. As a writer, her journalistic training brought her to the Chicago Tribune, first as a staff writer and later as the columnist for "Home on the Range." For the past two years, she has worked for Midwest Living magazine as the regular recipe columnist of "Sweet Life," which features her personal stories alongside recipes for delicious desserts.Leah graduated with a bachelor of arts in international relations through Brown University. She later earned a master's degree in journalism through Columbia University, located in New York City. Her educational background drew her to work for the Chicago Tribune, where she wrote for 15 years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on September 20, 2021 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Jason Donnelly Cook Time: 8 mins Hands On Time: 20 mins Bake Time: 40 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 8 mins Servings: 6 Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 1 7 ounce package amaretti cookies, such as Lazzaroni Amaretti Cookie Snaps 6 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt 3 pound (about 6 large) crisp, tart apples, such as Granny Smith ½ cup packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoon cornstarch ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon Bourbon (optional) Zest of 1 lemon Vanilla ice cream or heavy cream (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (to catch any drips), and place a 9-inch pie plate or similar ovenproof dish on baking sheet. Place cookies in a food processor and pulse to fine crumbs. Add 4 Tbsp. butter and 1/4 tsp. of the salt. Pulse to moist crumbs; set aside. Peel, core and halve apples. Slice about 1/8 inch thick. In an extra-large skillet, melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add apples; toss to coat. Cook, covered, until apples soften, 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt. Add sugar mixture to apples and cook until juices thicken to a syrup, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in bourbon, if using, and lemon zest. Scatter 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture across the bottom of pie plate. Spoon in one-third of the apples and their syrup. Repeat two more times, using all the apples. Top with remaining crumbs. Bake, uncovered, about 40 minutes or until golden brown and juices bubble thickly. Serve warm with ice cream or a drizzle of cream. If desired, sprinkle with additional cinnamon. Tip: A pie-size betty is traditional, but if you like, assemble the recipe in 6- to 8-ounce individual ovenproof ramekins. Cut the baking time to about 20 minutes. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 447 Calories 16g Fat 73g Carbs 4g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Calories 447 % Daily Value * Total Fat 16g 21% Saturated Fat 7g 35% Cholesterol 31mg 10% Sodium 163mg 7% Total Carbohydrate 73g 27% Total Sugars 61g Protein 4g Vitamin C 0.7mg 4% Calcium 31mg 2% Iron 0.5mg 3% Potassium 272mg 6% Folate, total 6.7mcg Vitamin B-6 0.1mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.