Warm Apple Crumble with Caramelized Apples
shared by Nibblore Kitchen
Tender apples are caramelized on the stovetop before baking, giving this crumble a deeper toffee flavor without making the filling overly sweet. A crisp oat topping contrasts with the soft fruit, while lemon and cinnamon keep the dessert bright and fragrant. Serve it warm with custard, cream, or vanilla ice cream. • Use a mixture of tart, firm apples and sweeter eating apples for a balanced filling that retains some texture. • A wide pan encourages browning; overcrowding steams the apples and weakens the caramelized flavor. • Keep the crumble topping irregular and loose so its exposed edges become crisp. • If the topping browns before the filling bubbles, cover it loosely with foil for the final 5 to 10 minutes. • Replace up to half the apples with firm pears, keeping the total prepared fruit weight the same. • Use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar for a stronger molasses flavor. • Replace the plain flour with an equal weight of a reliable gluten-free plain flour blend and use certified gluten-free oats if required. • Use dairy-free block butter in equal quantities for a dairy-free version. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat uncovered at 180°C conventional or 160°C fan for 15 to 20 minutes, until hot and crisp; individual portions can be microwaved but the topping will soften. Freeze the fully baked and cooled crumble for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat as above.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
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Save recipeIngredients
- 1.1 kgapples, peeled, cored, and cut into 2 cm chunks
- 30 mllemon juice
- 70 glight brown sugar
- 30 gunsalted butter
- 1 tspground cinnamon
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- ¼ tspfine salt
- 1 tbspcornflour
- 1 tbspcold water
- 140 gplain flour
- 90 grolled oats
- 90 glight brown sugar
- ½ tspground cinnamon
- ¼ tspfine salt
- 110 gunsalted butter, cold and cut into 1 cm cubes
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 190°C conventional or 170°C fan. Lightly butter a 23 cm round, 5 cm-deep baking dish or a 2-litre baking dish.
- 2Toss the apples with the lemon juice. Melt 30 g butter in a wide 30 cm frying pan over medium-high heat, then add 70 g brown sugar. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the mixture bubbles and turns glossy.
- 3Add the apples to the pan and spread them into an even layer. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until the apples have golden edges but remain firm in the centre. If the pan is too crowded to brown the fruit, cook the apples in two batches and divide the butter and sugar between them.
- 4Stir 1 teaspoon cinnamon, the vanilla, and 0.25 teaspoon salt into the apples. Mix the cornflour with the cold water until smooth, pour it into the pan, and cook for 1 minute, stirring gently, until the caramelized juices lightly coat the fruit. Transfer the filling to the prepared baking dish.
- 5Combine the flour, oats, 90 g brown sugar, 0.5 teaspoon cinnamon, and 0.25 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Rub in the cold cubed butter with your fingertips until the mixture contains moist crumbs and pea-sized clumps, about 3 minutes. Refrigerate for 10 minutes if it has become soft or greasy.
- 6Scatter the topping loosely and evenly over the warm apples without pressing it down. Place the dish on a rimmed baking tray and bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until the topping is deep golden and the filling bubbles around the edges.
- 7Rest the crumble for 15 minutes before serving. The filling will thicken slightly while remaining warm and spoonable.