Apple & Blackberry Crumble

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the Oven

   1 min

   Set your oven to 190°C (170°C for fan ovens) or gas mark 5 to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the crumble. Preheating is essential for even cooking and achieving a crispy topping.

2. 2

   Make the Crumble Mixture

   5 min

   In a large mixing bowl, combine 120g of plain flour and 60g of caster sugar. Add 60g of butter and use your fingertips to gently rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, ensuring you don’t overwork it to maintain a light texture.

3. 3

   Bake the Crumble

   22 min

   Spread the crumble mixture evenly across a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until the mixture is a light golden brown, indicating it is ready to be used as a topping.

4. 4

   Prepare the Apples

   12 min

   While the crumble is baking, take 300g of Braeburn apples, peel them, core them, and cut them into 2cm pieces. This size will allow the apples to cook evenly and mix well with the blackberries.

5. 5

   Make the Caramel

   3 min

   In a medium saucepan, melt 30g of butter along with 30g of demerara sugar over medium heat. Stir continuously for about 3 minutes until the mixture forms a light caramel, which will add depth to the fruit compote.

6. 6

   Cook the Apples

   5 min

   Once the caramel is ready, add the diced apples to the saucepan. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften and absorb the caramel flavor.

7. 7

   Add Blackberries and Spice

   5 min

   Stir in 120g of blackberries and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon into the apple mixture. Continue to cook for another 3 minutes, then cover the pan and remove it from the heat, allowing it to rest for 2-3 minutes to finish cooking in the residual heat.

8. 8

   Assemble the Dish

   10 min

   Carefully spoon the warm fruit mixture into an ovenproof gratin dish. Evenly distribute the crumble topping over the fruit, then place it back in the oven to reheat for 5-10 minutes until hot and slightly crisp on top.

9. 9

   Serve with Ice Cream

   1 min

   Once heated through, remove the dish from the oven and serve the crumble warm. For an indulgent treat, add a generous scoop of ice cream on the side to complement the warm fruit and crunchy topping.