Mom's Apple Crumble Recipe

Mom's Apple Crumble Photo: Jackie Cameron

Apple crumble with freshly-poached, in-season apples, raisins, loads of cinnamon and a dollop of fresh cream definitely warms my heart. I’’s without doubt one of my favourite home-cooked puddings.
— Jackie Cameron

Mom's Apple Crumble Recipe

Sweet-pastry base

Ingredients:

  • 250g butter

  • 125g white sugar

  • 1 egg

  • 470g cake flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 egg yolk

Method:

  1. Whisk the butter, sugar and egg together. Add the dry ingredients and bring the pastry together by kneading it slightly.

  2. Using your hands, thinly line a pie dish with the pastry. You won't use the whole amount and can freeze any extra. Dock the base with a fork, making holes in the base and side pastry of the pie. Place in the fridge to relax for 30 minutes. Bake at 150°C for about 20 minutes.

  3. Lightly whisk the egg yolk and smooth over the cooled pastry base. Put it back in the oven to cook for 5 minutes. This prevents the base from going soggy.

Apple Filling

Ingredients:

  • 800g Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and

  • cut into eighths

  • 3 cups water

  • 125g white sugar

  • 2 cloves

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Method:

  1. Cook the apples in the water with the sugar, cloves and cinnamon for
    about 15 minutes, ensuring the apples still keep their shape.

  2. Strain apples from apple liquid when cooked. Reduce apple liquid to 100ml of apple syrup and reserve.

Finishing the Pie

Ingredients:

  • 100ml apple syrup

  • 35g seedless raisins

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

  • castor sugar

Method:

  1. Place the apple pieces in the pie base, top with raisins and cinnamon powder. Drizzle reduced apple syrup over this.

  2. Grate a generous amount of sweet pastry over the apple mixture, sprinkle with sugar and bake on a tray for 15–20 minutes.

  3. Before serving, sprinkle with a little extra castor sugar and serve, hot from the oven, with a dollop of fresh cream.

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below. I look forward to hearing from you.