Apple crumble -also called apple crisp in England- is my husband’s favorite dessert. A few years ago, he taught me how to make his classic apple crumble recipe, including an authentic custard.
We love the apple crumble because it’s delicious, of course, and it’s very filling, easy to make, and hearty. The combination of apple and cinnamon never fails -a true classic- and the crispy texture, along with the rolled oats and nuts, creates a complete and straightforward dessert.
Some people prefer to serve it with vanilla ice cream instead of custard, and it definitely works pretty well.
Origin of the Apple Crumble Recipe
Curiously, the apple crumble recipe originated in Great Britain during World War II, when food was severely rationed, particularly goods like flour and sugar.
Luckily for the British, apples were available. As a result of their resilient genius, they created this filling, comforting, and tasty dessert. It’s so delicious that the traditional British apple crisp eventually became popular in many other countries.
What you Need to Make Apple Crumble
Making apple crumble at home is easy and convenient. It’s one of the main reasons for its success among the British families struggling during the war. Still, having the following tools will help you to make it quicker and smoothly:
Tips for Making a Great Apple Crumble at Home
- Pick sweet apples that are good for baking or roasting, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Golden Gala.
- Peel, core, and chop the apples quickly to prevent oxidation. Additionally, add a bit of lemon juice to the apple chunks while chopping, as the citric acid in the lemon will slow the oxidation process.
- While mixing the custard ingredients, pour the milky mix slowly into the egg yolks blend. It’s essential to keep whisking during the whole process so that the egg yolks don’t cook, and you can get a creamy, thick consistency without scrubs.
- If you don’t like custard or want to try an alternative, you can also serve the apple crumble with vanilla ice cream.
Find below the recipe with all the ingredients and a step-by-step guide.
Apple Crumble
Ingredients
- 4 Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples
- 1½ cup flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon, divided
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- A pinch of salt
- ½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans (optional).
To serve
- Vanilla ice cream or custard (ingredients below)
Custard
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup whipping cream
- 6 egg yolks
- 2 tsp corn starch
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Mix the flour, rolled oats, brown and white sugar in a bowl.
- Add butter slices into the bowl and mix with your bare hands. "Massage" the mix thoroughly, dissolving all the butter scrubs, until getting a uniform and crumbly mixture.
- Butter a baking container. Now peel and core the apples quickly to prevent oxidation. Then, chop into barely similar-sized 1-inch squares. You can pour a bit of lemon juice to slow the oxidation process of the peeled apple chunks.
- Fill the bottom of the container with the apple chunks. Pour cinnamon powder over the apple and mix thoroughly with your hands.
- Cover the apple chunks with the crumbly mix. Avoid pressing it against the apples. Let it a bit loose.
- Put in the oven to 350 °F for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, you can make the custard.
- First, separate the egg yolks. Whisk the egg yolks with sugar, vanilla extract, and cornstarch in a bowl.
- Then, heat milk and whipping cream in a saucepan. When it reaches the boiling point, turn it off and pour slowly about half a cup of the milky blend into the egg yolks mixture without stopping mixing. Then, transfer the small portion of the egg yolks into the saucepan with the rest of the milky blend once the mix is warm.
- Put to low fire, and keep mixing until the mixture acquires a thicker consistency. Remember that custard is relatively light, so it won't get creamy.
- Take the apple crumble out of the oven and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Then serve and top with a couple of spoonfuls of custard.
- Now, enjoy and share your delicious apple crumble!
Video
Notes
If you liked this Apple Crumble Recipe, you might like some of my other recipes too.
And remember, if you try this recipe and want to share your pictures, tag me @lacooquette on Instagram. I’d love to share your photos on my IG stories.
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