Classic Apple & Blackberry Crumble

Classic apple & blackberry crumble, a simple dessert with a layer of soft fruit, topped with sweet crumble and the perfect pudding when served with a side of custard.

Our classic apple and blackberry crumble is comfort food perfection in pudding form. This classic dessert comprises a soft layer of sweet and slightly tart fruits, covered with a sweet crumble topping.

When it comes to desserts that are quick to prepare you can't beat our easy apple and blackberry crumble. This classic pudding is made with simple ingredients that most of us will have in our store cupboards, fridge and fruit bowl.

I like to forage for blackberries in the hedgerows close to my home, although we call them brambles. Freely available every Autumn these dark and juicy berries are a joy to pick, even if you do have to take care and avoid the thorns!

Why you'll love this recipe:

• The perfect balance of flavours, the combination of sweet, slightly tart apples with glorious ripe and juicy blackberries. Autumn fruits at their seasonal best!
• Make ahead ready to pop into the oven just before dinner, so it's ready to enjoy warm, straight from the oven.
• Feed a crowd, this recipe is easily doubled up if you are feeding larger numbers.

How to make apple & blackberry crumble:

• Look out all the ingredients.
• Prepare the apples by peeling and removing the core. Then cut the apple into quarters or large slices. Don't cut the apple too small otherwise it will not hold its shape once baked.

• Place the apples and blackberries into an oven-proof dish. Spoon over the caster sugar and mix well to combine then set aside.

• Place the crumble ingredients into a large mixing bowl

• Rub together the flour, butter and sugar until you have a mix the texture of fine breadcrumbs.

• Spoon the crumble mix over the apples and blackberries and place the dish in a hot oven at 200C/180CFan for 40 minutes until the top is golden.

Recipe substitutions and variations:

• Apples add a lovely sharpness to this wonderful baked dessert. I like to use a tart tasting apple to balance out the sweetness of the crumble topping. Granny Smiths are ideal as they are tart, have a great firmness and retain their shape once cooked. You could also use a Bramley cooking apple. If using sweet dessert apples like gala or pink lady then add a squeeze of lemon juice to bring down the sweetness.
• Blackberries pair beautifully with apples, even better if you can forage for them for free in the hedgerows. You could also substitute with raspberries.
• Caster sugar is used to sweeten the fruit layer and the crumble.
• Plain flour forms the base of the crumble topping. For gluten free apple and blackberry crumble, substitute regular plain flour for gluten free plain flour to make a gluten free crumble topping.
• Salted butter is rubbed through the flour and sugar to form the crumble. If you are looking for a dairy-free alternative you can replace the butter with a dairy free spread instead.
• Rolled oats can be added to the crumble mix for added crunch.
• Ground cinnamon can be added to the apples and blackberries if you want a little warm spicing. 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon would be enough.

Alternative fruit crumble flavour combinations:

Fruit crumble is a versatile dish. Here are some other ideas for fruit combinations that work really well with this crumble topping:

• apple with raspberry or strawberry
• pear and raspberry
• rhubarb and ginger
• peach, apricot or nectarine with cinnamon
• plums with cinnamon and nutmeg

How to serve classic apple & blackberry crumble?

When it comes to serving any fruit crumble I really don't think you can beat custard, its such a classic pudding combination.

However, you could also serve this sweet pudding with double cream, some whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla or dairy ice-cream. I don't tend to add flavoured ice-cream as it detracts from the flavour of the fruits.

How to make a gluten free apple & blackberry crumble?

It is very simple to adapt this recipe if serving this crumble to Coeliacs or anyone following a gluten free diet. Simply replace the regular flour with a gluten free plain flour alternative. We like to use Doves Farms Gluten Free Flours. You can also add some gluten free rolled oats to the crumble mix for added crunch.

Useful hints and tips:

1. Feeding a crowd: double or treble up this recipe to feed a larger group of people.
2. Make extra to freeze: double the recipe and enjoy one crumble now and freeze the second for another day.
3. Leftovers: can either be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
4. Dairy free alternative: if serving to anyone with a dairy allergy or vegan diners, replace the butter in the crumble with a suitable dairy free alternative.
5. Allergy advice: egg free, soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.

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Additional recipe suggestions:

If you like this recipe then try some of our other great tasting desserts:

• Classic Apple Crumble
• Rhubarb & Strawberry Crumble
• Rhubarb Frangipane Tart
• Rhubarb & Ginger Clafoutis
• Eve’s Pudding
• Baked Nectarines with Hazelnuts & Yogurt
• Rhubarb & Custard Layered Dessert
• Rhubarb & Vanilla Sorbet
• Panettone Bread & Butter Pudding