Apple and Blackcurrant Crumble

Apple and blackcurrant crumble is a knockout dessert. It's an easy to make and utterly irresistible pudding that can be enjoyed all year round. Sweet yet tart, try serving this blackcurrant crumble with warm and soothing custard in the colder months, cream as the weather picks up or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on hot summer days.

If I want to make all of my family equally happy at the dinner table, then this apple and blackcurrant crumble is my go-to option for dessert.

Of course, like the majority of the UK, I'd be hard-pushed to serve up a crumble my family didn't like, but this blackcurrant crumble is their favourite.

The combination of tart yet sweet blackcurrant compote nestled amongst tender apple slices and that buttery, crumbly topping is enough to get main course plates polished off in record time and minds excitedly racing towards pudding.

Are Blackcurrants Good for Me?

Technically, yes, blackcurrants are full of health benefits. I've been following The Blackcurrant Foundation on Instagram recently and discovered that amongst other things, this zingy fruit is good for:

• keeping your gut healthy by increasing the levels of good bacteria, in there
• maintaining eye health
• providing soluble and insoluble fibre as well as important carbohydrates to give you energy
• providing a good source of vitamin C (this crumble alone provides a full portion of the adult daily requirement)
• helping to fight certain skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis

Of course, being a particularly sour fruit, blackcurrants usually end up being sweetened considerably before consumption. Please keep this in mind when scoffing down these nutritious berries and claiming it's all good stuff.

Needless to say, this sugar and butter-laden apple and blackcurrant crumble could never claim to be healthy, despite its vitamin C contribution.

How to Make Blackcurrant Crumble

There are 4 very simple stages involved in the making of this apple and blackcurrant crumble:

• Make a blackcurrant compote (10 minutes)
• Chop the apples and cook briefly in butter and sugar (10 minutes)
• Make the crumble topping (5 minutes)
• Assemble the crumble (5 minutes) and bake

Here is each stage in turn.

Step 1: Make the Blackcurrant Compote

• If using fresh blackcurrant pick them over and remove any stems then rinse in cold water and drain
• Put the blackcurrants and sugar in a pan and heat gently to allow the sugar to dissolve. Stir often
• Once the pan starts to get a little liquid in it, turn the heat to medium and cook for 5-10 minutes until the blackcurrants are soft and a definite sauce has developed

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Step 2: Prepare the apples

• Put the butter into a large pan and heat to just melt it. Add the sugar, stir and set aside
• Peel, core and chop the apples roughly
• Add to the butter and sugar in the pan, then return to the heat and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes

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Step 3: Make the Topping

• In a large bowl measure out the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Stir to combine
• Cube the butter, add to the bowl, then rub in: use your fingertips to rub the flour and butter together until it resembles breadcrumbs
• Stir through the oats and demerara sugar

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Step 4: Assemble and Bake

• Tip the apples into a large baking dish
• Spoon the blackcurrant compote evenly over the apples
• Tip the crumble over the fruit and spread out roughly
• Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving

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Can I Make it Vegan?

Yes you can make this apple and blackcurrant crumble vegan. Simply replace the butter with a vegan friendly alternative, check the sugars you are using are vegan (not all of them are) and you are good to go.

Can I Reheat leftovers?

If there are any leftovers, they can be stored in the fridge (covered) for up to 3 days. Just reheat in the oven for 15 minutes or so.

Leftovers can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost fully before reheating in the oven.

What Can I serve this Pudding With?

What if I told you that this apple and blackcurrant crumble is good enough to eat just as it is? Trust me, the juicy fruit evident in the photos makes this pudding a delight to eat on it's own. No accompaniments are strictly necessary.

However, this tasty treat also pairs well with a great number of other toppings for the ultimate dessert:

• custard (especially in the cooler months)
• single cream
• vanilla ice cream (my top choice on hot summer days)
• evaporated milk (for that authentic 1970's vibe)
• whipped cream
• creme fraiche
• clotted cream (oh my days)

How will you eat yours?

What if I Can't Find Blackcurrants?

Fresh blackcurrants are typically in season during August in the UK. So look out for them in supermarkets, or, more likely, your local pick-your-own field or farm shop. That's assuming you haven't got a neat little blackcurrant bush tucked away in your garden.

Blackcurrants are also available year-round in the freezer department - again, farm shops are a good bet for finding them. A little goes a long way flavourwise, so I always keep a small bag of them in my freezer.

These dark currants are easy to come by in England, France and Germany but elsewhere, they can be tricky to find. In fact, in America, farmers were once banned from growing them.

If your search for this tart treat winds up fruitless, please don't despair. Blackberries make a fabulous substitute here.

Find More tempting Blackcurrant Recipes

• Deep-filled blackcurrant pies (a reader favourite)
• Blackcurrant cordial with vanilla
• Blackcurrant mojito
• No added sugar blackcurrant & mango smoothie
• Blackcurrant Sorbet
• Blackcurrant Ice Cream

If you have tried this Italian iced coffee recipe please give it a rating below. Don’t forget to share your creations with me on Instagram too - I love to hear how you've got along. Use #littlesugarsnaps and tag me @jane_littlesugarsnaps.