Delia Smith Apple Crumble

Delia Smith’s apple crumble layers two kinds of apple under a crisp, short topping spiked with cinnamon and roughly chopped almonds. The Bramleys collapse into a sharp purée while the Cox’s hold their shape, so you get both softness and bite. It bakes at 200C for 40 to 45 minutes and serves six to eight.

She calls it the Best Ever Apple Crumble in Delia’s Complete How to Cook, and two things earn that name. She uses skin-on almonds through the crumble for a toasted, nutty crunch you don’t get from flour and butter alone. And she mixes tart Bramleys with sweet Cox’s, so the fruit is neither one-note sharp nor flatly sweet.

The one move that makes or breaks the topping is pressing it down hard. Most people scatter crumble on loosely, but Delia spreads it to the edges and presses it firmly with the flat of her hands. As she puts it, the more tightly it’s packed, the crisper it bakes, then a fork run over the top gives it texture.

Delia Smith Apple Crumble

Recipe by Pinch PerfectCourse: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

561

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

5

minutes

From Delia’s Complete How to Cook. A two-apple crumble with almonds in the topping, pressed firm for crispness, and equally good with other seasonal fruit.

Ingredients

• For the fruit:

• 700g Bramley apples

• 225g Cox’s apples

• 25g light brown soft sugar

• 1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

• For the crumble:

• 75g chilled salted butter, cut into small dice

• 175g self-raising flour

• 1 level dessertspoon ground cinnamon

• 110g demerara sugar

• 110g whole almonds, skin on

• To serve:

• clotted cream or crème fraîche

Directions

• Preheat: Preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6). You’ll need an ovenproof dish about 24cm x 16cm and 6cm deep.
• Prepare the apples: Quarter the apples, peel them with a potato peeler if you like, and slice out the cores. Cut into thickish slices, then toss in a bowl with the light brown sugar, cinnamon and ground cloves. Tip into the baking dish.
• Make the crumble: Put the butter, sifted flour, cinnamon and demerara sugar in a processor and whiz to crumbs. Add the almonds and pulse until roughly chopped and chunky. By hand, rub the butter into the flour, stir in the cinnamon and sugar, and add the almonds chopped roughly by hand.
• Top and press: Spoon the crumble over the apples, spreading it right to the edges of the dish. Press it down firmly all over with the flat of your hands, since the tighter it’s packed the crisper it bakes. Run a fork lightly over the surface.
• Bake: Bake on the centre shelf for 40-45 minutes, until the topping is well browned and crisp.
• Rest and serve: Leave to rest for 10 minutes, then serve with well-chilled crème fraîche or clotted cream.

FAQs

Why does Delia use two kinds of apple?

Bramleys are sharp cooking apples that break down into a soft, tart purée, while Cox’s are sweet eating apples that keep their shape. Using both gives you a filling that’s part saucy, part chunky, with a good balance of sweet and sharp. If you only have Bramleys, add a little more sugar, since on their own they can be mouth-puckeringly tart.

Why are there almonds in the crumble?

The skin-on almonds, roughly chopped so they stay chunky, toast in the oven and give the topping a nutty crunch that a plain crumble lacks. It’s the main reason Delia calls this her best ever version. Keep them coarse rather than ground, or you lose the texture that makes them worth adding.

Can I use other fruit instead of apples?

Yes, and Delia does this herself through the year. She uses berries or apricots in summer, rhubarb in spring, and half blackberries with half apples in autumn. The almond crumble works over any of them, so treat the topping as your constant and swap the fruit with the seasons.

Why self-raising flour and not plain?

The raising agent in self-raising flour gives the topping a slightly lighter, shorter texture rather than a dense, sandy one. Combined with pressing it down firmly, you get a crumble that’s crisp on top but not heavy. If you only have plain flour, the crumble still works, it’s just a touch more solid.

Can I make apple crumble ahead or freeze it?

You can assemble the whole thing, fruit and topping, and keep it covered in the fridge for a day before baking, which suits a dinner party. Unbaked crumble also freezes well, so make a spare and bake it from frozen with a little extra time. Add the crème fraîche or cream only when you serve, never before.

What should I serve with apple crumble?

Delia serves hers with well-chilled crème fraîche or clotted cream, and the cold cream against the hot crumble is the whole joy of it. Custard is the other classic if you want it more comforting. If you like a fruit pudding spread, it sits nicely on a menu near her summer fruit compote for a lighter option.