Emergency Apple and Blackberry Crumble
The humble Apple Crumble has been an age-old favourite. I would never attempt to change such a classic, but merely put my healthy twist on it, keeping the flavours of the English countryside intact!
I’ve called this ‘Emergency’ Apple and Blackberry Crumble just because I use this a lot for emergencies; when unannounced friends or family pop in and end up staying for dinner. Having a store of frozen apples and blackberries makes easy work for a rustle-up crumble. Likewise if you have apples that haven’t made it to the eating front yet, turn them into something that will put them right to the front for eating.
Swapping the plain flour for the ground almond and using gluten-free flour (if you have it) makes this dish healthier and ranks up on the flavour scale.
Enjoy straight from the oven or cold.
prep time 10 mins
Cooking time 20-25 mins
Serves 4
Ingredients
300g apples – Any mix of apples will do (if you have Cooking apples that’s good too)
A handful of blackberries
A squeeze of lemon
½ tsp ground cinnamon
30g cold butter (cut into small cubes)
30g unrefined brown sugar
100g ground almonds
20g gluten-free flour (if not add 20g more of ground almonds, rolled oats or plain flour)
Method
Preheat the oven at 180 (gas mark 4)
Then peel and core all of the apples
Add a squeeze of lemon to stop them from turning brown.
Add the cinnamon
Plus ½ of the sugar
Put them in a pan and cook with the lid on for about 5-8 minutes
Until ½ cooked and still in their cut shape.
Cooking with the lid on will give the added juice that is just delightful against the crisp crumble.
(you could stop here, cool and put into the freezer)
Or
Whilst that’s all cooking, make up the crumble.
Rub the butter together with the ground almonds adding in the flour as needed
Then the remaining sugar goes in
Into individual dishes add the apple mixture
Place a few blackberries on each dish and
Top with the crumble
Place in the oven for about 20 mins or until golden on top
Remember this can all be prepared and assembled ahead of time, or you could keep both elements ready in the fridge/freezer for when you have a crumble emergency!
