How to Make the Most Delicious Apple and Blackberry Crumble Ever

If you’re planning on making an apple crumble, why not go one better and make an apple and blackberry crumble instead? Double the fruit, double the deliciousness!

In this article, we’ll take you through the ins and outs of making the perfect apple and blackberry crumble, including sharing tried and tested baking tips, serving suggestions, and – for the pièce de résistance – we’ll even share our very own apple and blackberry crumble recipe with you!

To make a perfect apple crumble, one must first understand and respect the history of this classic dessert. Ok, perhaps not – but a bit of backstory never hurt anyone!

Not surprisingly, the dessert originated in Britain circa the 1920s as a variation of the more extravagant apple pie recipes. In 1924, the apple crumble made its debut in printed recipe books as an official dessert.

The apple crumble is a national treasure of Britain and a favourite among many a family. Today, apple crumbles of all shapes, sizes and compositions are popular all over the UK and beyond.

Believe it or not, fruit selection can, quite literally, make or break your crumble. If your apples are too soft, they will be buried by the weight of the topping; if they’re not ripe enough, you run the risk of a sub-par tasting crumble.

The key to choosing the ideal apples is to opt for the ones that are firm, brightly coloured, and healthy-looking.

The same goes when it comes to picking your blackberries – be sure to choose ones that look the firmest and shiniest.

You can’t achieve the perfect crumble by baking it in any old dish. For the best results, choose a dish that’s large enough, but not too deep. Shallower dishes tend to work a bit better when baking a crumble.

Oh, and be sure to grease the dish before baking so that your crumble doesn’t stick to the edges.

Melted or room temp butter can cause the top of your crumble to spread while baking instead of creating the desired topping of crunchy, crumbly pieces.

Using cubes of cold butter helps to bind the ingredients before baking.

When it’s time to add the apples, chunks of diced apples tend to work better than slices. The thicker bite-sized pieces help to maintain the crumble’s structural integrity (yes, we see the irony here) and make it much easier to serve in scoops.

When it comes to how to serve your majestic, perfectly-cooked apple and blackberry crumble, this is where you can let your imagination run wild!

While the standard serving suggestions include familiar favourites such as a dollop or two of ice cream or whipped cream, or a covering of classic custard, there’s no reason why you can’t get a little more adventurous when you serve your crumble. (Or a little less adventurous if you’d prefer your crumble plain!)

We’ve heard tales of people serving their crumbles with crème fraîche, strained yoghurt, spices, and even coated with coconut!

Ok, enough chit-chat, now to the recipe!

Our super-easy apple and blackberry crumble recipe is one of our most popular dessert recipes – we think it’s because people seem to LOVE miniature versions of desserts. And why wouldn’t they? Miniature desserts are just as delicious as their standard-sized counterparts but they’re bite-sized for the ultimate convenience.

With that in mind, there’s no reason why you can’t grab yourself a spoon and eat a delicious, miniature apple and blackberry crumble on the go!

Please note that our apple and blackberry crumble recipe calls for 50 grams of chopped hazelnuts. If you’re planning on baking your crumble for somebody who has a nut allergy, you can make your apple and blackberry crumble with oats instead.

To perfectly pull off our apple and blackberry crumble recipe, you’ll be needing 75 grams of our Tate & Lyle Unrefined Demerara Sugar – be sure to stock your cupboard before you get started!