Recipe : Chunky apple crumble
By Lesley Waters
Serves 4
Cooking and preparation
10 minutes preparation, 45 minutes cooking
Ingredients
For the filling
4 large Bramley cooking apples (weighing
about 900g/2lb)
1 large orange, zest and juice only
2 sprigs rosemary
225g/8oz blackberries
splash of water
30g/1½ oz caster sugar
For the topping
55g/2oz ground almonds
140g/5oz plain flour
85g/3oz polenta (not quick-cook)
140g/5oz butter, cold
110g/4oz light muscovado sugar
splash of water
To serve
thick cream or custard
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. For the filling, peel, quarter and core the apples and cut into large chunks. Place in a
shallow ovenproof dish.
3. Zest and juice the orange, adding the zest and juice to the apples. Mix together with your
hands.
4. Bruise the rosemary sprigs and scatter over the apples. Toss over the blackberries, add a
splash of water and scatter over the sugar.
5. For the crumble topping, place the almonds, flour, polenta, butter and sugar in a food
processor and pulse briefly several times, just to mix. The mixture should look like coarse
breadcrumbs.
6. Tip out into a bowl and add a splash of water. Use a spoon to mix briefly - it should be
quite clumpy.
7. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the fruit.
8. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
9. Turn down the heat to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and cook for a further 20-25 minutes, until the top
is nicely browned and bubbling.
10. Serve with cream or custard.
Step by Step
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Step 2
Peel, quarter and core the apples and cut into
large chunks. Place in a shallow ovenproof
dish.
Step 3
Zest and juice the orange, adding the zest and
juice to the apples. Mix together with your
hands.
Step 4
Bruise the rosemary sprigs and scatter over
the apples. Toss over the blackberries, add a
splash of water and scatter over the sugar.
Step 5
For the crumble topping, place the almonds,
flour, polenta, butter and sugar in a food
processor and pulse briefly several times, just
to mix. The mixture should look like coarse
breadcrumbs.
Step 6
Tip out into a bowl and add a splash of
water. Use a spoon to mix briefly - it should
be quite clumpy.
Step 7
Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the fruit.
Step 8
Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Step 9
Turn down the heat to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and
cook for a further 20-25 minutes, until the
top is nicely browned and bubbling.
Step 10
Serve with cream or custard.