Making apple crumble

I only use hard Stork or equivalent, and let my trusty old Kenwood Chef do the work.
I have a lot of DD’s windfalls to use up quickly, so might try the melting method anyway. Might be useful if the Chef ever goes on the blink, as it did once a few years ago. Can’t complain though - it was a wedding present 51 years ago!

You can buy a whizzer from Lidl every so often for about £15 …. Worth every Penny as it mixes everything from crumbles and pastry mix to vegetables and goodness knows what else and is soooo quick.

My friend makes the yummiest crumble ever by adding a little dessicated coconut to the mix.

I suggest a food processor too and adding rolled oats gives crumble a great texture and added fibre. I also add some chopped walnuts too.

I grate the butter on the big holes. Then you can rub it together much more gently. I have aching fingers and hands and this works for me.

I've just bought one of these for cutting the butter into the flour. I had one years ago but must have chucked it out when I moved house.

I do it the Raymond Blanc way. Butter, flour & sugar, then bake the crumble mixture on a baking tray for about 15 mins before putting it on top of the fruit. Wonderful crispy topping with none of that soggy layer you can get when you cook the raw crumble on top of the fruit.

M&S do a brilliant crumble mix. Just melt butter in the microsave and mix. Simples!

We use 200g SR flour, 100g butter/baking margarine and 100g sugar. All in a bowl and use dessert spoon to mix it up. If we want crunchy crumble, put the mixture in the oven on gas 4 then stir it every 5 minutes or so then add that to the cooked fruit once the little rocks of crumble are pale golden, then later warm through in the oven or microwave. The crumble stays crunchy this way but if you prefer just top the fruit with it and bake for 20-30 mins.

I have an old "heart healthy" recipe that calls for melted margarine (non hydrogenated) and it tastes amazing and comes out really crisp.

I’ve always used the melted butter way, as did my mum before me, much less faff. But you have to mix in the flour to the melted butter and sugar gently and carefully, till it’s the crumbly texture you want - not beat it around very fast or it becomes gloopy!

Break up a packet of good quality all butter shortbread into chunks, put them into a freezer bag ( or other strong plastic bag), use a rolling pin and bash to smithereens. Also incredibly satisfying and cathartic

I melt the butter and then stir in sugar, flour, oats (& sometimes ground almonds). Works a treat.

I melt or use oil

Does it stay crumbly or more like pastry texture if you melt the butter?

watermeadow

There’s a glut of apples this year and we all love crumbles but my weak old hands will no longer rub butter into flour.
I’ve seen American recipes which melt the butter. Has anyone done this and does it make a proper crumble? Butter is too expensive to waste now so I’m reluctant to try it.
And no oats. Proper crumble has no oats.

No need to actually melt the butter - get it to soft room temperature, put dollops in with the flour, & mix in with a fork. Just be careful not to over-mix as it should incorporate easily. Useful for scones etc too.

I always melt the butter for crumble. It’s so much easier and less messy. I don’t treat it gently, just melt the butter in the microwave and then add the dry ingredients to the butter. Stir it well and top the fruit. I usually have extra that I keep in the fridge for another time.

It makes a crunchier, less powdery, topping, I think, which I prefer.

Now the weather has changed I shall be making some crumble!

Jan 51, I’ve got one of those, belonged to my Nan. Mine has a yellow handle and they’re good for cutting in the butter.

I posted this recently on the puddings forum. I make a flapjack-type topping. Easy and no rubbing in.

2-2-4 proportions: 2oz butter, melted. Stir in 2 oz of sugar (demerara or dark or light brown sugar) and 4 oz of porridge oats (or make up some of the weight with a few seeds). Add a spice if liked. Use to top the stewed fruit and bake - gas mark 4.

Jan51

I've just bought one of these for cutting the butter into the flour. I had one years ago but must have chucked it out when I moved house.

This works for me too - got arthritis in my thumbs and I can’t rub fat into flour anymore. I can honestly say I’m making the best pastry I’ve ever made in my life!

I am going to try the melted butter method though. (Last weekend I made a fruit flan from a book I have had for years - the base was melted butter, flour and sugar and just had to be pressed into the tin. It was yummy.)

My hands always seem to ache from pruning .
So I'm careful with certain activities.
If asking a crumble I always cut the butter into very small pieces before rubbing in .
Originally I cut it up because my hands were far too hot to rub in .
I always had a huge bowl of cold water with ice cubes to cool them if making pastry .
Now I buy Jus Roll .

I've got a brilliant recipe from an old Jocelyn Dimbleby book using melted butter into which combine plain flour, sugar and nuts. You could easily add oats. The recipe uses uncooked apples onto which you spread the flour /butter/sugar cinnamon which looks lumpy but is delicious. Off the top of my head I think the proportions were 4oz butter, 4oz brown sugar, 6oz plain ( add 2oz oats) 1 tsp cinnamon oppt nut add the dry ingredients to melted butter. Bake moderate oven 35mins- yum!

Grandmama

I posted this recently on the puddings forum. I make a flapjack-type topping. Easy and no rubbing in.

2-2-4 proportions: 2oz butter, melted. Stir in 2 oz of sugar (demerara or dark or light brown sugar) and 4 oz of porridge oats (or make up some of the weight with a few seeds). Add a spice if liked. Use to top the stewed fruit and bake - gas mark 4.

Now that sounds good - and easy! I might try that next time I make a crumble.

watermeadow

There’s a glut of apples this year and we all love crumbles but my weak old hands will no longer rub butter into flour.
I’ve seen American recipes which melt the butter. Has anyone done this and does it make a proper crumble? Butter is too expensive to waste now so I’m reluctant to try it.
And no oats. Proper crumble has no oats.

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My crumble must be improper then!
Hope the neighbours don't know

We don't like a 'fine breadcrumb crumble' topping. Boring
Just like the ones you see at the supermarket.
Much prefer a rougher chunkier one. Much nicer texture.

Flour. Porridge Oats. Demerara Sugar. Butter.

I don't finger the butter to disappear but leave it in chunks (about the size of a round sixpence).

Absolutely delish. And much the same as that served in English Country House Hotels. (In fact it was the then chef in probably the most famous and top hotel in the UK who gave me the information about 15-years ago - oh, and if using apples mix cinnamon in with them.
Rhubarb? The juice and zest of a small orange added to the fruit).

Either Custard or Double cream goes fantastically well.

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