Apple and Blackberry Crumble

5 from 1 vote

Apple and blackberry crumble is the ideal way to ease into autumn. Wild blackberries, picked from the hedgerows add jammy flavour to this quick & easy to assemble blackberry crumble that is delicious served with custard or ice cream, depending on the weather.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British, Worldwide

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 458kcal

Author: Jane Coupland

Equipment

)1 x large ovenproof dish around 5cm deep (pictured circular dish is 24cm diameter but slightly large is fine)

Ingredients

750 g Cooking apples e.g. Bramleys
300 g Blackberries wild (see notes if using store-bought)
½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
185 g Granulated sugar
1½ tablespoons Cornflour (cornstarch)
175 g Spelt flour or plain/ self raising flour
¼ teaspoon Salt
90 g Butter
30 g Demerara sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Crumble Topping

Preheat oven to 180C/ 350F/ GM 4
Put the flour, 60g granulated sugar and salt into a mixing bowl and stir briefly
Cube the butter, add to the bowl and, using your fingers, rub the butter into the dry ingredients. Keep on rubbing until the mixture looks like large breadcrumbs
Stir through the demerara sugar

Prepare the Fruit

Mix the cornflour, the remaining 125g granulated sugar and spices together in a bowl
Peel, core and chop the apples into medium-sized pieces (roughly 1½-2cm). Avoid cutting the apple too small as it will cook too quickly and may break down too much, giving a mushy texture
Put the apples into a bowl, add the sugar mixture and toss together until all the fruit is covered
Lay half of the apples into the base of the oven-proof bowl and scatter with half of the blackberries. Top with the rest of the apples, followed by the remaining berries. Scatter any leftover sugar mix over the fruit

Assemble and Bake

Spoon the crumble topping over the fruit, covering it entirely. Do not press the topping down
Place the crumble dish onto an old baking sheet and transfer to the oven to bake for 35-40 minutes until golden
Let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving

Video

Notes

Use digital scales. They are invaluable when it comes to any baking recipe as they are so much more accurate than cup measurements
This recipe has been developed using cooking apples. Regular eating apple are not a suitable substitute
Don't forget the flour when preparing the fruit base - this is essential to create a sauce around the fruit and avoid an unappetising liquid at the bottom of the pan
If, after 30 minutes in the oven, the topping looks as if it is fully cooked cover it loosely with foil to protect it from burning and continue to cook for the full 40 minutes to ensure the apples are tender
Plain flour or self-raising flour can be used in place of spelt flour
Add a little cinnamon to the crumble topping for a little extra spice
Turn it vegan by swapping the regular butter for vegan block butter and adding in an extra pinch of salt. It's also a good idea to check the sugars you are using are vegan, since not all of them are
Once assembled, put the crumble dish onto an old baking sheet to catch any sticky liquid that may bubble over the edge as the crumble cooks. It's far easier to clean a baking sheet than the oven bottom and shelves

Using Store-bought Cultivated Blackberries

There is quite a difference between wild blackberries and those bought in the supermarket. The latter tend to be larger, a little sweeter and sometimes juicier than wild berries.

For this reason, it may be necessary to cut them in half if they are very large and I suggest adding an extra ½ tablespoon of cornflour to the sugar mix that the apples are tossed in to avoid the fruit layer from becoming too runny.

It's up to you whether to reduce the sugar content of the fruit layer. Taste the blackberries and if they are very sweet, consider reducing the amount of sugar slightly to 100g.

Make it Gluten-Free

Spelt flour is not suitable for anybody who has celiac disease or people suffering from other forms of gluten sensitivity. For this reason, an alternative gluten-free flour will need to be used in this recipe if serving to anybody with gluten intolerance. Try exchanging the topping for this one. Cornflour is naturally gluten-free so is safe to use.

Making in Advance, Storage and Freezing Instructions

To make this crumble in advance it's best to prepare and bake this recipe as instructed, as the apple will brown once cut. Once made, let cool, then cover and store in the fridge until required (up to 48 hours). Reheat for 20 minutes at 150C/ 300F before serving.

This blackberry crumble can also be frozen after baking. Allow to defrost fully before reheating as instructed above.

Allow any leftovers to fully cool then cover and either store in the fridge for up to 48 hours or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition