Baking · serves 2

Apple Crumble

All the apple pie, none of the pastry. Fifteen minutes of work.

55 min Easy Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 8 apples, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 lemon
  • Topping: 1.5 cups maida, 1 cup rolled oats, 150g cold butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup nuts

Method

  1. Cook the apples with sugar, cinnamon and lemon for 8 minutes until just softened. Raw apples under a crumble stay crunchy in the middle.
  2. Topping: rub the cold butter into the flour, oats and brown sugar with your fingertips until clumpy. Leave big lumps — uniform crumbs bake into a flat layer instead of a craggy one.
  3. Nuts stirred through.
  4. Apples in the dish, topping scattered loosely over. Don't press it down.
  5. 180°C for 35-40 minutes until deep golden and bubbling at the edges.
  6. Rest 10 minutes. Cream or ice cream.

Questions people ask about Apple Crumble

How long does Apple Crumble take?

About 55 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is straightforward. A good part of that is unattended, so you can get on with something else once it is going.

What is the one thing to get right in Apple Crumble?

Apples in the dish, topping scattered loosely over. Don't press it down.

What can I use instead of maida in Apple Crumble?

Use plain atta for a denser, nuttier result, or a 50/50 mix if you want to keep some lift.

Can I make Apple Crumble ahead of time?

You can prepare it a few hours ahead and reheat gently. It keeps two days in the fridge, though it is best on the day.

Is Apple Crumble vegetarian?

Yes, it is vegetarian. It is not vegan as written because it contains dairy; swap the dairy for a plant alternative and the rest of the method is unchanged.

Do I need an oven for Apple Crumble?

Yes, this one needs an oven. If you do not have one, look at the no-oven filter on the baking page: eleven of the bakes here are built for a cooker, a pan or the fridge.

What do you serve with Apple Crumble?

On its own, warm, with tea or coffee. Baking is chemistry, so scale it by weight rather than by eye: double every quantity, use a tin with roughly double the area, and expect to add ten minutes or so. Judge it by the skewer, not the clock.

Don't know what to cook? Let it decide →

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