IN A PINCH: Apple Crumble

  EASY APPLE CRUMBLE RECIPE 

One of my favourite desserts to make given its simplicity and minimal ingredients. Definitely something you should try making during your time in the UK as this recipe uses two ingredients you wouldn't normally find in Malaysia: Bramley Apples and Clotted Cream. Okay, the latter is more of an additional topping at the end, but it balances the acidity of the apples so well it might as well be an ingredient. Best of all- this recipe only costs about £5 to make the first time for about 4 servings and the next time you make it you will only need to buy more apples which are very affordable in the UK!

Apple crumble is a common British dessert and is closely related to the apple pie but is much easier to make. It can be easily tweaked to suit your tastes. Some recipes include oats in the crumble but I personally prefer it without any additional components. Feel free to add some rolled oats if you like extra texture! 

*This recipe was adapted from BBC Good Food.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients: 

FILLING

575g Bramley apples (3 medium apples) 

2 tbsp (about 25g) golden caster sugar - normal caster sugar is fine 

1 1/2 tsp ginger powder 

1 tsp cinnamon powder 

CRUMBLE

175g plain flour 

110g golden caster sugar - normal caster sugar is fine 

110g cold butter in small pieces

A pinch of salt

GET BAKING!

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170°C fan. 

2. Start with the crumble first. Mix all the ingredients for the crumble in a bowl and rub them together with your fingertips until you achieve the consistency of moist breadcrumbs.

3. Place the crumble in the freezer while you continue with the rest of the preparation (or for about 10 minutes).

4. Peel the apples and core them. Slice the apples into approximately 1cm thick slices. 

5. Mix the sugar, ginger powder and cinnamon powder with your sliced apples and toss them together until evenly coated. Don't mix for too long as it draws out excess liquid from the slices. 

6. Line a baking pan or roasting tin with aluminium foil. The size of your tray will determine the depth needed to contain all the apples. 

7. Spread the apple-sugar mixture in the tray evenly, making sure there are no openings. 

8. Pour the cold crumble in the centre of the tray on the apples and spread it out with a fork, covering all the apple mixture. 

9. Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes until crumble is golden brown. 

10. After baking, leave for 10 minutes to cool before eating. 

11. Enjoy with a hearty serving of clotted cream, heavy cream or ice cream!

• You can use any green cooking apple, not necessarily Bramley apples. I've tried Granny Smith apples and they were equally scrumptious!
• When preparing the crumble, you should only be using the tips of your fingers for minimal heat contact to prevent the butter melting. At initial stages, press the flour and sugar into the butter to separate it. You will naturally rub your finger together to remove the sticking butter. 
• Shake bowl of crumble for big chunks to appear at the surface and break them up.
• Make sure to freeze your crumble mixture, it ensures crispiness and prevents the butter melting. 
• You can slice the apples thinner or thicker depending on how much bite you like in your apples although keep in mind that you may need more apple for the filling if you want thick slices. 
• The size of tray you use will determine the depth of the dessert. I personally like my crumble thinner and crisper, so I usually make mine very flat in a larger tray.
• Make sure all the apples are covered by the crumble or they might burn in the oven. 
• If the crumble isn't browning enough, turn on the grill mode on the oven for a few minutes at the end.