Gourmet Apple Crumble

Last weekend it was a bit cool and rainy, so I decided to make Apple Crumble for my parents when they came to lunch on Sunday. Seeing as we are heading into Autumn, I’m sure this will be the menu a bit more regularly!

We have been enjoying all the summer fruits, so the few apples we’ve had have been sitting in the fridge waiting to be eaten. This used them all up at once, with a couple of pears thrown in for good luck. But you can use your own combination of fruit to make your gourmet version!

I make up a double batch of crumble mix and keep it in the freezer, so it’s ready to be used at a moment’s notice. I used the last of it though, so today I have had to make some more.

The recipe I use is (and I can’t remember where I originally found it):

1/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup rolled oats
rub in 50grams butter

I also add in cinnamon to taste.

If you are like me, you’ll find rubbing butter into flour a tedious job. But crumble is such a deliciously comforting dessert that is great in cooler weather. That is why I make a double batch to keep in the freezer. The less often I have to rub butter the better!

I throw it all in a labelled ziplock bag, then into the freezer it goes. And you know those crumby bits at the end of your cereal bag? Throw those in with your crumble mix as well 🙂

I don’t have a particular recipe for the apples. You peel them, you slice them, you throw them in a saucepan with a bit of liquid and a little sugar and cook until just tender. I usually add some pears as well, but you can add whatever you have. A can of peaches with crumble topping is so yum! For the liquid, water is sufficient but you could use juice. The zest of an orange or lemon will lift the flavour too. And you can’t forget a little spice: I always add cinnamon and many people add cloves too, but we leave those out.

For Christmas, my foodie sister gave us all a selection of her gourmet delights. Most I have already used (and asked for refills!), but I still had the jam sitting there. So for this batch of apples I added a couple of spoonsful of her delicious jam, and a little of her vanilla sugar. I haven’t put jam in stewed fruit before, but I was inspired by my friend Annabel’s recent blog post of different ways to use it.

Unfortunately for you all, I don’t think these products we received are for sale to the general public, but she has plenty of other gourmet products available at http://www.mojos.com.au/shop/

When your apples are just tender, throw them in your baking dish and top with the lovely crumble. Then it all goes in the oven for about half an hour on 160C, or until the crumble is, well, crumbly!

Serve it with ice-cream, custard, or in our case, vanilla yoghurt.

So now I’m set for the next few dessert requests. Is crumble a favourite in your house?

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