Classic apple crumble
This classic apple crumble is a warming hug in a bowl. With vanilla-spiked, caramelised apple pieces and a nutty whole wheat crumble topping, it’s so quick and easy to make and is the perfect dessert for those cool, winter nights!
Firstly, I don’t think you need cinnamon in the crumble topping and the filling. The cinnamon works so well as part of the crispy, nutty component of the topping that I think the apple itself can do without. You still get the classic apple/cinnamon combo, but I think it creates an opportunity for the filling to be more vanilla-spiked and caramelised and keep the flavours more distinctly apple-y.
Now I don’t know about you, but I have some strong opinions about apple crumble. It holds a particularly special place in my heart because it was the first dish that I cooked as a child (with parental supervision), and I guess as a result, the feelings I hold about how an apple crumble should be, are unwavering.
Secondly, the filling shouldn’t be a wet, saucy mess. I want golden, caramelised apple pieces – stewed – though holding shape – moist, but not saucy. The corners should be bubbling with evidence of where the sauce has caramelised.
Finally, the crumble topping. While I don’t hate on oats, I don’t see their place in a crumble, so I definitely sit more on the classic side on this one. I also like a variety of texture in the topping – fine and large pieces of crumble – because I want every ounce of filling that hits my plate to have crumble on it. Personally I find if the topping is too chunky, you don’t get the guaranteed crumble to apple coverage.
Why you’ll love this classic apple crumble
- Quick and easy to make – there’s little hands-on prep involved then it’s straight into the oven. The perfect dessert for mid-week or when you find yourself hosting at the last minute.
- Versatile – you can use any variety of apple for this crumble, depending on what’s best where you are.
- Minimal ingredients – only 8 ingredients (9 if you include a pinch of salt!) are needed for this apple crumble, many of which you probably already have on hand at home.
Ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe
- Apple – you can really use any variety, depending on how sweet you like your crumble! I like to use Pink Lady apples, which are a cross between a Golden Delicious and Lady Williams. It’s sweet but had a nice tartness, that I think works really well here. If you’re after more of a tart finish in your crumble, go for a Granny Smith and see my note in the recipe about sugar.
- Vanilla – a high quality vanilla bean paste adds another layer to the caramelised apples in this dish
- Lemon juice – bring a touch of acidity to balance the sugar, and really helps enhance that apple flavour
- Sugar – this is a dessert, after all 🙂 I use caster sugar in this recipe, but you can substitute for brown sugar in the filling if you want to enhance that caramel flavour even more!
- Whole wheat flour – I love using a whole wheat flour in the crumble topping to bring more of a rich nuttiness to it. You can also substitute this for plain flour if you like.
- Baking powder – a magic ingredient that helps to keep the crumble topping crisp!
- Cinnamon – used in the topping to bring that quintessential flavour pairing with the apple
- Butter – unsalted, cold and cut into small cubes. This is cut into the flour with your fingertips to create the crispiest crumble topping.
How to make this classic apple crumble (step-by-step)
1. Peel and cut the apple
Peel each apple – you can place into a bowl of water while you finish peeling all of them. Then, cut each apple into pieces approx 2-3cm in diameter.
2. Combine the apple filling ingredients
Add the apple pieces directly to your baking dish to save on washing! Coat with sugar, vanilla bean paste and lemon juice and toss to combine – set aside while you make the crumble topping.
3. Mix the dry topping ingredients
Mix all of the dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder) in a large bowl.
4. Cut in the flour
Cut the cold flour into small cubes, then add to the flour mix. Using your fingertips, gently rub the butter with the flour until you have a coarse breadcrumb-like consistency, with a mixture of small and larger crumbs for a nice, varied texture.
5. Assemble and bake
Top the apple filling with the crumble mixture, then bake in the centre of a preheated oven (190c/375f) for 40 minutes until the crumble topping is golden and the edges are caramelised and bubbling.
Tips and tricks to make the very best apple crumble
- Baking powder is the magic ingredient – use this in the crumble topping to help keep it light, crisp, and prevents it from becoming soggy or dense. Genius!
- Don’t cut the apple pieces too small – you want the apple to retain its shape, while still becoming nicely stewed and soft. If you cut the apple pieces too small, they’ll break down too much during cooking and could turn to mush.
- Use whole wheat flour for more flavour – using whole wheat flour adds some depth of flavour, brining a lovely nuttiness to the crumble topping, as well as a lovely rustic texture.
FAQs about this classic apple crumble
Can this apple crumble be made in advance?
Yes, both components can be made in advance. Simply store them individually covered in the fridge until ready to use. It’s important that the crumble topping doesn’t sit out as the cold butter is essential for achieving that crispy, crunchy topping!
What’s the best way to store this apple crumble?
Should you have any leftovers you can simply cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover with aluminium foil and bake at 180c for 10-15 minutes. Noting that the apple filling will continue to cook and could get a little softer.
How is best to serve this apple crumble?
Serve it warm, but allow the crumble to cool slightly once it comes out of the oven – around 10-15 minutes. I like to serve mine with ice cream, however custard or pouring cream is also a popular choice!
That’s about it for my idea of the perfect, classic apple crumble! If you have a bit of a sweet tooth like myself and enjoy a fruit dessert, why not check out these other recipes of mine?
- Panna cotta with cherry compote
- Macerated strawberries with white chocolate and mascarpone whipped cream
- Peach and rosemary cake
And if you do make this apple crumble, I’d love to see! Tag me on Instagram or Pinterest.
Classic apple crumble
Ingredients
Apple filling
- 500 g apples I used Pink Lady as they’re currently in season, but would work well with most if not any apple.
- 40 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Crumble topping
- 150 g whole wheat flour
- 50 g caster sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 100 g unsalted butter cold and cut into small cubes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170c fan-forced/190c conventional/375f.
Apple filling
- First peel the apples – you can place them into a bowl of water as you go to help prevent browning.
- Cut the apples into smallish pieces, roughly the size of your thumb-tip. You don’t want them too small as they will cook too quickly and break down.
- Place the apples directly into your baking dish and toss with the sugar, vanilla and lemon juice and set aside.
Crumble topping
- Combine all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then add the cold cubes of butter.
- Using a light touch and your fingertips, rub the butter and flour mixture together to form the crumble, until you have a mix that resembles coarse breadcrumbs, with some larger pieces remaining.
- Cover the apples with the crumble topping and bake in the centre of your oven for 40-45 minutes, until the apples are bubbling out of the corners and you can see they’re nicely caramelised. The crumble topping should be lovely and golden.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
