Snuggle up with warm Apple Cinnamon Crumble in winter. Enjoy it with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. A classic warm-cold combo. A foolproof recipe. Works every time.
Apple crumble is such a classic warm sweet dish, when made well, it has the power to make everyone go weak at the knees. On the flip side, there are many small things that can send the dish crumbling down. Starting from crumble topping itself, which can be floury or dry and leaves an unpleasant taste on the taste buds. Apples if undercooked will taste like eating a raw apple, then I would say to myself, why go through all the effort of cooking it and if overcooked then it is a big puddle of gooey mess which again is not a palatable texture to savour. If crumble topping and apples are great while the dish tastes bland then all that hard work has gone in vain.
It has taken me several attempts to make this recipe perfect and I have finally done it. It has the perfect crumble to apple ratio. Topping is not doughy or hard and filling is not mushy or runny. It has an optimal balance of tartness and sweetness with a hint of cinnamon flavour and aroma. The crumble is amazingly crunchy yet soft. My apple crumble recipe ticks all the checkboxes.
It is a fail-safe recipe and extremely easy to make. I have made it numerous times and it has never failed to impress even once. Not only my family but also my friends have loved it so much that they requested me to make a larger quantity on their next visit. So, without any further ado, let's get on with the making.
Skip to recipe Apple Cinnamon Crumble - Vegan Recipe or continue reading for tips and stages of making the recipe
All you need is Granny Smith Apples (Green Apples) and a few common ingredients found in every (Q)kitchen for the filling.
Weight of the apple is BEFORE peeling and coring apples
Ingredients for the crumble topping.
Stages of Making - 4 Simple steps
1. Preparing the Apple Filling
Peel, core, and chop apples into 1.5cm cubes. See my hack on an easy way to core, slice and dice apples. Place chopped apples in salted water to keep it from browning. check out my hack "Prevent cut apple from browning". Drain apples and add all the apple filling ingredients over chopped apples. Mix well.
2. Preparing the Crumble Topping
Add and mix all the dry ingredients for topping in a separate bowl
Add oil to the dry topping mixture and mix. I prefer using hands to mix it thoroughly as I can rub the ingredients between palms and remove any large lumps at the same time. The mixture should have a wet sand-like texture.
3. Loading baking dish with apple filling first. Spread evenly and Level it. Then cover the filling with crumble topping uniformly and lightly press it down.
4. Place the baking dish in a preheated oven and bake.
Baked
Look at the syrup oozing out the sides. Yummmmmm!!!
Weight of apple?
Weigh apple BEFORE peeling and coring.
Why Granny Smith Apple? Can any other apple or fruits be used in this recipe?
I like making this recipe with Granny Smith apples (green apples) because they are slightly tart. You can use any apples you want or even pears. Balance the tartness by adding extra lemon juice or any other sour fruit. Peaches work too but you can cut back on the sugar a bit as peaches are sweeter. This recipe is also great for any type of berries. Whatever you use, don't omit the sugar and flour completely because it's part of how the filling becomes a bit jammy rather than watery.
Variations to crumble topping?
Additions to crumble is not limited to oats. If you are not allergic to nuts, then go ahead and add almond flakes or crushed almonds to give that extra crunch. If you like coconut flavour then you can also add dried grated or desiccated coconut.
Why peel apples?
The skin of apples won’t break down nicely during the baking. Rather it will go rubbery and not a pleasing texture to eat.
Can apple crumble be made ahead of time?
This dish tastes best when freshly baked. For a party, you can make portions of the recipe ahead of time. Prepare the recipe up to just before placing crumble topping on top. Cover crumble topping with cling wrap in a separate container (refrigerate if the weather is hot). Crumble over the filling just before baking. The apple filling (unbaked) can stay good up to 1 day in the fridge.
Having said this, if you still want to bake ahead of time then you can do so and let it cool completely before freezing. Make sure to cover it well with cling wrap to avoid any moisture settling on the crumble. When ready to eat, thaw the frozen apple crumble to room temperature and reheat it in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the crumble is crispy. Do not reheat in the microwave or else the crumble will go soggy.
My preferred way to make ahead of time is to prepare the filling and topping separately a day before and store it in the fridge. Assemble and bake 45 mins prior to serving.
Storing apple crumble?
If you have any leftovers, then cover the dish with plastic wrap, poke a few holes in the top, and place it in the fridge. Apple crumble is best eaten the same day it is made and is good for up to 2 days after being made. Remember to reheat in the oven and not microwave. It may take about 10 to 15 mins to reheat.
Final result
The smell, when this is in the oven, is seductive. Every time I go past the oven, I just can't stop myself from peeking through the glass doors of the oven. I simply melt seeing the bubbling golden apple syrup seeping out the sides. That glorious crunchy crumble top looks divine calling me, come eat me. I am in heaven already.
I lied, it's not just winter dessert. You can have it all year round. It tastes absolutely sublime.
What are you waiting for?
Chop up apples, spread the crumble, and bake it in a flash. Don't forget the ice cream.
Recipe link below
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