Crumble cookie
The not-so-crumble cookie crumble can be comforting and wholesome, fruity and sweet, oaty and crunchy. Get it right and ticks all the boxes for everything you’d want in a pudding. Star anise, crushed amaretti biscuits and even a dash of brandy have been known to make it into the mix, and everyone has a secret trick for making the best topping. Here are our tips on how to make the ultimate crumble.
Read our top tips for perfecting crumble below, then also discover more comforting crumble recipes, get ideas for the best crumble toppings and watch our video for how to make the perfect crumble. Raymond Blanc pre-cooks his topping in this apple and blackberry crumble to avoid a gluey, uncooked end result and retain the texture of the fruit. This technique creates a really biscuity topping, and as it’s already crunchy and cooked before being spooned over the fruit, you don’t risk any sogginess. Running low on pudding prep time? Crumble doesn’t have to be complicated.
Wow your guests with this super-speedy crumble mix using a rough mixture of fruit, sugar, butter and flour. It takes just 20 mins to whip up, and can be left in the oven while you enjoy your main course. What is crumble topping made of? Typically, a basic crumble topping is made up of just three ingredients: flour, cold butter and sugar. However, we also love adding porridge oats for extra chewiness, as in these recipes for very-berry oat crumble and American-style apple crisp. Our most popular crumble by far is this foolproof apple crumble. The filling is a simple combination of Bramley apples with golden caster sugar and the topping is classic flour, butter and water crumb.
Sprinkle over rolled oats and demerara sugar for some extra texture, too if you wish. If you want to make the filling slightly less tangy, we recommend sweetening the apples with apricot jam and orange juice to make it twice as fruity, as in this apple flapjack crumble recipe. You could also add a little syrup to the oaty crumble to make moreish, chewy clusters. What are the best crumble filling combinations? Choosing the perfect crumble to go with your fruit is an art form in itself. Sweet, caramelised apples will be better showcased with a more savoury topping, whereas tart rhubarb and sharp gooseberries are complemented with a sweet-yet-simple topping, like in this gooseberry crumble recipe.
Teaming warming spices with fruity mixtures also gives them an extra flavour dimension. Whilst crumbles are typically enjoyed in the colder months, we see no reason not to enjoy this winning pud all year round! Whip up a juicy cherry crumble or tart gooseberry crumble for a superb summertime dessert. For more seasonal ideas, read our guide on crumble recipes for every season. Take your crumble to the next level with a boozy kick. Or for something sweeter, add a splash of port to this tangy rhubarb crumble to give the fruit filling an extra kick. We love a classic crumble, but sometimes it’s worth experimenting with some less obvious ingredients.
