> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Healthy Recipes: Sparkling Apple Crumple - URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/sparkling_apple_crumple_1912101002/ - Published: 2010-12-19T11:01:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-22T18:38:30.000Z - Description: Dana Jacobi skips the pastry for AICR, heaping apples, cranberries, raisins and walnuts into a pie plate under a crumpled phyllo top dusted with sugar. She warns that the oven temperature changes matter for both the filling and the browning. - Author: Food Consumer - Tags: Cooking, Recipes & Dining, #vivvo-import **An Easy Holiday Dessert That Sparkles** By Dana Jacobi for the American Institute for Cancer Research My doctor tells a great story about the perfect holiday pie his Italian mother makes. She lives in Florida, so after missing a few Christmases together, he took his family down to be with her after she turned 90\. He assumed she would not be preparing this time-consuming, complicated dessert, but there it was, his dream dish her grandchildren had all heard about. The crust, as rich, crumbly and delicious as remembered, brought tears to his eyes even as he murmured the obligatory, “Ma, you shouldn’t work so hard. The crust alone must take you hours.” “Don’t be stupid,” she replied, “I bought it at the supermarket.” Most of us would rather not deal with making piecrust either. And we do not want the liberal amount of fat calories found in a great crust or the soggy bottom crust underlying most pies. If you agree, here is how to avoid all three. This beautiful crumple, sparkling as a sugar plum fairy, has no bottom crust, just a generous filling of apples, cranberries, raisins and walnuts heaped into a pie plate. Its “crust” is an elegant puff made by crumpling a few sheets of phyllo. The sparkle comes from a light dusting of sugar...be heavy-handed and the effect will be more of a snowy blizzard. Do take care to follow directions for changing the oven temperature. They insure the filling bakes properly and the phyllo comes out golden brown and enchantingly glazed. [](http://www.aicr.org/new/images/publications/HealthFeatures/AppleCrumplex2172.jpg?ref=foodconsumer.org) **Sparkling Apple Crumple** - 4 (13-inch x 17-inch) sheets phyllo dough - Canola cooking spray - 3 Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced - 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar - 1 tsp. ground cinnamon - 4 gratings fresh nutmeg - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts - 1/4 cup dried cranberries - 1/4 cup golden raisins - 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted - 2 tsp. confectioners’ sugar About 1 hour before preparing crumple, remove package of phyllo dough from refrigerator and let sit until it is room temperature. Remove the 4 sheets of phyllo required. Loosely roll into a tube, seal in plastic wrap and set aside. Return remaining phyllo to refrigerator or freezer, per package directions. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat 9-inch x 1 1/2-inch pie plate, preferably ovenproof glass, with cooking spray and set aside. In mixing bowl, toss apples with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to evenly coat fruit. Add nuts, cranberries and raisins and toss until nuts and fruit are well combined. Transfer filling to prepared pie plate, spreading evenly. Unroll sheets of phyllo and remove one sheet of phyllo and place on work area. Immediately cover remaining dough with plastic wrap, covering it completely so it does not dry out. With the one sheet of phyllo on counter in front of you, with long edge facing you, brush it generously with melted butter. Gently gather phyllo together from either side, lift and crumple into a loose ball about 5 inches in diameter. Set crumpled phyllo on top of fruit to cover it by about one-quarter. Repeat with remaining phyllo, leaving some space at edge of pie plate for juices to bubble up. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven to 325 degrees F. and bake for 20 minutes longer. Remove crumple from oven and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over phyllo, dusting it lightly. Return crumple to the oven for 10 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden brown and sugar has melted to a glaze. Heavily dusted spots will remain white. Let crumple stand for 10 to 60 minutes. Serve warm; the phyllo gets soggy if crumple stands longer. Cut crumpled phyllo with serrated knife, then serve using a large spoon to scoop up filling with the top. **Makes 8 servings.** **Per serving:** 170 calories, 6 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 29 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 50 mg sodium **Something Different** *is written by Dana Jacobi, author of 12 Best Foods Cookbook and contributor to AICR’s* **[New American Plate Cookbook: Recipes for a Healthy Weight and a Healthy Life](http://www.aicr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=reduce%5Fdiet%5Fnew%5Famerican%5Fplate%5Fcookbook&ref=foodconsumer.org).** \*\*\* The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is the cancer charity that fosters research on the relationship of nutrition, physical activity and weight management to cancer risk, interprets the scientific literature and educates the public about the results. It has contributed more than $96 million for innovative research conducted at universities, hospitals and research centers across the country. AICR has published two landmark reports that interpret the accumulated research in the field, and is committed to a process of continuous review. AICR also provides a wide range of educational programs to help millions of Americans learn to make dietary changes for lower cancer risk. Its award-winning New American Plate program is presented in brochures, seminars and on its website, www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.