The fruit goes into Hairy Bikers apple and blackberry crumble in layers, not mixed together. Half the apples, a third of the cinnamon sugar, then all 300g of blackberries, then the rest of the apples on top. It comes from Mums Know Best, serves six and works out at 586 calories a portion.
Si and Dave use two kinds of apple on purpose, three eating apples and two Bramleys. They say the mix adds a lovely depth of flavour, though one variety alone will still work.
Watch the top rather than the clock towards the end. Their instruction is blunt: the sugar should go golden, not black, so cover it with foil if it starts catching.
Hairy Bikers Apple and Blackberry Crumble
Description
Cinnamon and demerara are mixed together first, then divided into three and used between the layers of fruit. The topping is rubbed by hand from flour, soft brown sugar, porridge oats and cold butter. It bakes at 170°C for about 40 minutes.
Ingredients
For the filling
For the topping
Instructions
- Mix the apples: Put all the quartered apples in a bowl and shuffle them around so the two kinds are mixed up.
- Make the cinnamon sugar: Mix the 2 teaspoons of cinnamon with the demerara sugar in a separate bowl.
- Layer the fruit: Put half the apples in an oven dish and sprinkle over a third of the sugar mixture. Add the blackberries and sprinkle over the second third. Cover with the remaining apples and add the last of the sugar and cinnamon.
- Make the topping: Put the flour and the teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl and mix well, then stir in the soft brown sugar and the oats. Cut the butter into small cubes, add it and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
- Assemble: Lay the crumble mixture on top of the fruit.
- Bake: Heat the oven to 170°C, fan 150°C, gas 3. Bake for about 40 minutes, until golden on top and bubbling underneath.
- Watch the top: Keep an eye on it. The sugar should go golden, not black, so cover with foil if it is catching too quickly. Serve with custard.
FAQs
Why layer the fruit instead of mixing it?
So the blackberries end up in the middle rather than on top. Sitting under a layer of apple they stay whole and release their juice into the fruit instead of bleeding straight into the crumble.
The sugar is divided in three for the same reason, one part with each layer. It means every mouthful is seasoned rather than the sweetness sitting at the bottom of the dish.
Do I really need two kinds of apple?
It is what they do and they explain why: three eating apples and two Bramleys together add a lovely depth of flavour. Bramleys collapse into a sharp purée while eating apples hold their shape and stay sweeter.
They also say the recipe will still work with only one variety. If you use Bramleys alone expect a softer, sharper filling, and if you use eating apples alone expect it firmer and sweeter.
Can I use frozen blackberries?
Yes, and this is worth getting right. Thaw them first and throw away the water they let out, because that water has nowhere to go once the crumble is assembled.
You can add them straight from frozen if you are in a hurry. The filling will just be looser than it should be, which they say themselves.
Why only 170°C when most crumbles are hotter?
Because there is 140g of soft brown sugar in the topping, and brown sugar burns before flour browns. A lower oven gives the fruit its 40 minutes without the top turning black.
Their plum crumble bakes at 200°C for 45 minutes instead, with demerara in the topping rather than soft brown. Same idea, different sugar, different oven.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, and the recipe says so. Assemble the whole thing, fruit layered and crumble on top, then keep it covered in the fridge until you want to bake it.
Add a few minutes to the cooking time if it goes in cold from the fridge. Everything else stays the same.
