Easy apple crumble
This is the easiest apple crumble recipe and an all-time favourite quick and easy dessert. See the recipe tips for little tweaks you can make to get this absolutely perfect.
Each serving provides 618 kcal, 6g protein, 83g carbohydrates (of which 43g sugars), 28.5g fat (of which 18g saturates), 3.5g fibre and 0.21g salt.
Ingredients
For the crumble
- 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú plain flour
- pinch of salt
- 175g/6oz brown sugar
- 200g/7oz unsalted butter at room temperature, cubed, plus a little for greasing
For the filling
- 450g/1lb apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm/½in pieces (see recipe tip)
- 50g/2oz brown sugar
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Place the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs and all the butter is incorporated.
Place the fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir well, being careful not to break up the fruit.
Butter a 24cm/9in ovenproof dish. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.
Bake for 40–45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.
Serve with thick cream or custard.
Recipe Tips
How do you prevent apples going mushy in crumble?
Bramley apples (also known as cooking apples) will cook down and become beautifully soft and fluffy. If you prefer more distinct apple pieces, use eating apples and reduce the sugar quantity a little (as they are naturally sweeter than Bramley apples).
Why is my crumble topping not crumbly?
Using plenty of butter is they key to a good crumble topping, but take care not to over-mix when rubbing it in as that can make your crumble doughy (if you use a food processor take particular care). You can use your fingers to encourage clumps after rubbing in the butter (watch the How-to video below). To further encourage clumps, sprinkle over a little cold water and stir – it will make the crumbs stick together in lumps.
Using a mixture of demerara and a finer brown sugar adds a pleasing crunch to your crumble, too.
Can you put oats in a crumble mix?
Oats are a lovely addition to crumble mixes and give great texture as well as a healthy dose of fibre. Just stir through a handful after rubbing in the butter.
Freezing tips
You can freeze apple crumbles before baking. Wrap well in two layers of kitchen foil or cling film and freeze for up to 4 months. Defrost before baking.
Leftovers can also be frozen in the same way. If reheating from frozen, it's best done in the microwave so make sure you freeze portions in microwave-safe containers. If using an oven to reheat, it's best to defrost your crumble first.