As more ripe apples are falling from trees this autumn, don’t waste your harvest and prepare a delicious apple crumble instead. The humble crumble is a British favourite, but there’s a simple way to take the dessert from tasty to truly “exceptional” thanks to a key ingredient Mary Berry uses.
The added twist doesn’t complicate the recipe but instead enhances the flavour, bringing out a nuttiness that pairs well with the sweetness of the apples. The secret ingredient: Walnuts. BBC Good Food described the unique baking process and said: “The apples and the nutty topping are cooked separately in Mary Berry’s apple crumble, producing exceptional crunch.”
According to BBC Food, this classic Mary Berry recipe serves up to six people, takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and between 30 minutes and an hour to cook. Alternatively, you can learn how to bake her “beautifully moist” lemon drizzle cake by clicking here.
Mary Berry’s apple crumble recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5kg of cooking apples
- ½ lemon juiced
- 100g of light muscovado sugar
- 50g of plain flour
- 50g of porridge oats
- 150g of light muscovado sugar
- 150g of walnuts chopped
- 50g of sunflower seeds
- 100g of softened butter
Method
To begin, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan/Gas 4). Then, peel the apples carefully, removing the cores, and slice them thinly before placing them into a small baking tray. Mary Berry suggests using a flameproof casserole dish.
Then mix in lemon juice, sugar, and six tablespoons of water. Bring to the boil, then transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the apples are tender but still hold their shape.
Meanwhile, put all of the dry topping ingredients into a large mixing bowl and, using your fingertips, gently rub in the butter until it is evenly distributed throughout the mixture and has formed small clumps that resemble coarse crumbs.
Once ready, spread this mixture out evenly on a baking tray and cook for about 20 minutes, or until it has turned a rich golden-brown colour and has become light, crisp, and slightly crunchy to the touch.
When the topping has finished baking, use a spoon or fork to break it up into smaller, crumbly pieces, then sprinkle it generously over the hot, softened apples so that the textures combine just before serving.
