- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Cook bacon over medium heat in a 30cm (12”) oven safe non-stick skillet or cast-iron skillet. Using a slotted spoon remove onto paper towel lined baking sheet. Remove all but 15 ml (1 tbsp) of bacon render.
- Combine apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, maple syrup, lemon zest, half the cooked bacon in a large bowl and combine well to coat. Add mixture to skillet and stir well. Set aside keeping warm.
Crumble
- In a large bowl combine oats, brown sugar, and flour. With hands, add chilled lard a piece at a time working into a mixture until a crumble forms. Add remaining bacon into crumble and spread mixture evenly over apples. Place skillet on middle rack of oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Check after 30 minutes, if browning to quickly, loosely tent with tin foil.
Candied Nuts
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat, toast nuts stirring frequently for about 1 minute or just starting to brown slightly. Remove onto a plate. Add butter to skillet and allow to melt. Add syrup and stir frequently until mixture starts to foam. Add nuts back to skillet and toss well to coat. Remove onto a parchment lined plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Remove apple crumble from oven and allow to cool slightly for about 5 to 10 minutes. Spoon servings into bowls and top warm crumble with ice cream and garnish with nuts, berries, and mint. Serve while warm.
Chef secret
Time saver tip: try using Maple Leaf Ready Crisp Bacon.