Hello again all,
So I have this faint recollection that I have in fact already posted about apple crumble. But I have a sneaking suspicion that that apple crumble had cinnamon and different spices in it, this one does not. So let us think of it as a comparison blog. A crumble that is a little more summery and a little less wintry.
I always feel that heavy desserts, in that ones that are rich in cream, chocolate and all that, are very much a comforting thing. They are something that makes you want to snuggle up by the fire and chill. Whereas, desserts like sorbet, fruit tarts and citrus cakes and a summery thing. Something that makes you want to bask in the sunlight and 'lay like broccoli'. I'm pretty sure that is the right quote from one of my favourite films- see if you can guess it?
So this apple crumble differs in that there are no spices, it purely celebrates the apples and the only the apples. Something that is fresh, homemade and delicious without having to try.
Apple crumble to me is something that can be eaten whatever time of year. In the winter, that's cool, just add some warm custard and you're set. All warm, comforting and luscious. Like a hug, but for the organs. In summer, huzzah! Just add some coulis or cool cream and fresh fruit and you're set to go. All vibrant, pallet cleansing and completely satisfying.
This is a dessert, snack, heck even breakfast that you can eat whenever and something that is utterly timeless. I said breakfast as it has apples in it. Yes, I'm one of those types of people. The kind that knows what looks good, smells good and therefore tries it. The kind that yes doesn't go overboard but does think that a little that takes your fancy does you good.
So, let's get down to it. This is a BBC food recipe. I've made a few changes. The ingredients you'll need are;
For the crumbly, wholesome, tantalizing crumble topping:
- 300g Plain flour
- 175g Soft brown sugar. I used caster sugar and 155g seemed like more than enough for me.
- 200g Unsalted butter. I used normal, non- unsalted butter and it worked fine sure.
- The recipe said to add a pinch of salt, and I know that they say that seasons the sweet, but I didn't bother. There's enough salt in food as it is.
For the sweet, juicy and fresh apple filling:
So, for this part I never really use a recipe. Therefore it changes every time. Depending on what I have in the house, I'll change it to see what works.
- 4 Apples, peeled, chopped and chucked into a bowl
- 1 Lemon- juice and zest
- 2 tbsp Caster sugar
- 2 tbsp Butter, plus a little for greasing the dish you are baking in
- 2 tbsp Water, tap is fine. If you're funny about using tap water and want to use bottled, that is cool. I wonder what sparkling water would do? Ooh? Not much I'm sure, but something to try.
Method to make this wonderful dessert:
- First pre heat the oven to 180 C in a fan oven. What I do is pre heat it to like 160 C and then 5 minutes before I pop the crumble in, I turn it up to 180 C. I think this stops it from getting too hot and allows the crumble to bake evenly and slowly. But again, this changes depending on my mood, the time of day and weather- things like that.
If it's late at night and for some reason I thought it'd be a good idea to bake at like 11am, then yea, i'll throw the thing in there at like 180 C as I'm tired and hope for the best. This will quickly be followed by the realisation that, even thought the idea was nice, the timing was not so nice. I mean, who is going to want to eat this at like 1am when it is done? Midnight, or early morning snackers? Not in this house, my sister isn't home and even then she wouldn't touch my crumble. She has this thing about warm, soft fruit. What can I say, she has no idea what she is missing. Crumble is so great. I love crumble.
Whoops, sorry that was a long winded way to say bake the bloody thing at 180 C. Ah well, i'm sure you were reading this in your leisure time and not when you were driving, working or trying to cook or something. I don't want to be responsible for your distraction and therefore anything that happens because of that. Always concentrate and don't read this if you are working with hot objects, moving a vehicle or anything like that. Safety first! :)
So this won't take long. Crumbles are pretty easy going. But I'll be blunt, mess this up and you're basically screwed when it comes to baking.
Okay, let the baking commence!
Chop up all those lovely apples and pop them into a clean glass bowl.
Zest and juice a lemon and then pour and drizzle all of this over the chopped apples. This will both add a freshness and zing to the crumble as well as stopping the apples from browning in the air.
Leave the apples aside as they need to sit for a little.
In the meantime, weigh out the sugar, butter and water. Didn't take long did it?
Once the dish you are baking the apple crumble in is greased, then you are pretty much ready to begin.
Pop the apples into a deep, non stick, clean pot and heat with a little butter (this is the butter you have set aside already). Once you can almost hear the butter sizzle and the apples scream a little (this sounds vaguely like when you put gummy bears in the microwave and heat them) add in the sugar and water and give it all a stir. Pop a lid over and allow these to steam until you can smell the apples and they have gone all tender and released some of their juices.
Whilst this is steaming/cooking, make the crumble topping. I like to make the best use of my time. So instead on doing one job and then the next, I like to think of how much time it takes for each section and plan around that so that there won't be a period when i'm sitting there waiting. I hate waiting. So impatient I am.
Throw the flour, rip the butter and fling into a deep, clean bowl and rub this together with your finger tips. Do this until it all goes this one sandy, buttery colour and there are no massive chunks of butter present. Add in the sugar and stir this through until it is completely combined. This will lighten the whole crumble and make it look a lit finer. Don't ask me why. Why I do not know.
You're ready. Chuck the apples, juices and all into the dish you have prepared and sprinkle over the crumble. This part is all you. If you want to be wacky and put the crumble on the bottom and the fruit on top- go on. Although, not too sure how that'd turn out and if that was what you wanted, couldn't you just bake it the normal way and then tip and flip? It's gonna be messy either way?
I normally put the fruit on the bottom and then I like a lot of crumble topping. Not exactly half and half or more, but more than you seem to get in the restaurants. I always feel that when it comes to crumbles you order in restaurants, it sometimes seems to be a warm fruit salad or something, with this dusting of crumble on top. Plus I really don't like it when they pre- bake the crumble on its own. I know they say that makes it super crunchy, but to me a crumble needs to be baked with the fruit, have that crunchy and crumbly side on the top and that slightly gooey and softer inner on the bottom that is all fruity and yum.
Once you have assembled your crumble, bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown, the apple is slightly bubbling up through the edges and it has these subtle cracks rippling through it.
Serve with ice cream, cream, fruit, coulis or whatever you like. For me custard would be the key to my heart, but I hadn't made any and I actually ended up celebrating it and only it. I had some solo. It was great!
Thanks again and have a great day all!
Ciara
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