The best apple crumble
You can't beat the traditional apple filling topped with crispy, buttery crumble – classic comfort food at its best
- Prep:15 mins
Cook:40 mins
- Serves 4
- Easy
Nutrition per serving
- kcal 608
- fat 24g
- saturates 14g
- carbs 90g
- sugars 55g
- fibre 5g
- protein 6g
- salt 0.6g
Ingredients
- 575g Bramley apples (3 medium apples), peeled, cored and sliced to 1 cm thick (see tip)
- 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
- 175g plain flour
- 110g golden caster sugar
- 110g cold butter
- 1 tbsp rolled oats
- 1 tbsp demerara sugar
- double cream, clotted cream or custard, to serve
Tip
Peeling applesIf you do this with a knife rather than a peeler, it is easier to cut them into quarters first. Alternatively, for a more rustic effect, leave the apples unpeeled.
Make it your ownIf you make apple crumble all the time, you may feel like varying it.
- Mix 1/2tsp mixed spice, cinnamon or allspice, or the scraped seeds of half a vanilla pod, into the sugar when tossing apples
- Add a handful of blackberries to the apples
Apple varietiesYou can use other apples, rather than Bramley, for this recipe, but if you do, slice them thinly so they soften during baking, and test carefully with a knife before removing from oven.
Method
Preheat the oven to 190C/170 fan/gas 5. Toss the apples with the 2 tbsp sugar and put in a 23cm round baking dish at least 5cm deep, or a 20cm square dish. Flatten down with your hand to prevent too much crumble falling through.
Put the flour and 110g sugar in a bowl with a good pinch of salt, slice in the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like moist breadcrumbs. Shake the bowl and any big bits will come to the surface – rub them in. Alternatively, pulse in a processor until sandy (don’t over-process).
Pour the crumb mix over the apples to form a pile in the centre, then use a fork to even out. Gently press the surface with the back of the fork so the crumble holds together and goes crisp, then lightly drag the fork over the top for a decorative finish. Sprinkle the oats and demerara over evenly, if you wish.
Set on a baking tray and put in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and the apples feel very soft when you insert a small, sharp knife. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before serving.