Apple Crumble

 

Ingredients

- 600g of cooking apples (about 3 large or 4 medium ones), peeled and sliced 1cm thick

- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

- 3 tablespoons caster sugar

- 175g plain flour

- 110g caster sugar

- x1 pinch of salt

- 125g butter, room temperature, cubed

- x8 apple slices for decoration (optional)

- demerara sugar for sprinkling over the surface (optional)

- cream, ice cream or custard to serve (optional)

- x1 28cm by 28cm approx cooking dish, about 5cm deep

- x1 mixing bowl

Method

1. Peel and slice your apples, this should only take around 5-10 mins. Once done, preheat your oven to 170 degrees fan / 190 degrees conventional / gas mark 5. Put the sliced apples with the 3 tablespoons of caster sugar and the optional teaspoon of cinnamon into a bowl and mix together. This should only take a few seconds. Once done, place into your 28cm by 28cm cooking dish and lay out evenly and level out. 

2. Put your flour, caster sugar, salt and butter into a bowl and mix together with your hands until it forms a breadcrumb-like consistency, this should only take about 3-5 minutes. 

3. Put the breadcrumb-like mix out over your apples and spread evenly over them until you have a level crumble surface. Decorate with the apple slices and demerara sugar if you choose. 

4. Bake on a high-shelf in your oven for 35-45 mins until the surface is golden brown. If the apples feel very soft when you insert a skewer, it is ready. Lay to one side to cool. I would advise you leave it to cool for about 10-15 mins before you serve it with cream, ice cream or custard. Enjoy! 

Total time required: 1 hour 5 mins, possibly less.