Apple Crumble
Making an apple crumble that tastes primarily of apples starts with plenty of fruit. We tossed 4 pounds of apples with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to enhance their bright flavor. Adding just 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the filling kept the apples from tasting too sweet. We baked the apples in a covered pan before applying the topping, which allowed them to collapse into a thick layer of filling. Adding nuts to the streusel loosened its consistency so that it didn't bake up dense, and a couple of teaspoons of water hydrated the flour so that the mixture clumped nicely. Applying the topping midway through baking minimized its exposure to the juicy fruit, preventing it from becoming soggy.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Golden Delicious apples peeled, cored, and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 4⅜ ounces dark brown sugar divided, 2 tablespoons (⅞ ounce) packed plus ½ cup packed (3½ ounces)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon table salt divided
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5 ounces all-purpose flour 1 cup
- ½ cup sliced almonds chopped fine
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons water
Instructions
Bake the apples
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lowest positions and heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Toss apples, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl.
- Transfer to an 8-inch square baking pan with at least 2-inch sides and press into an even layer.
- Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Transfer sheet to oven and bake on the lower rack for 35 minutes.
Make the topping
- While the apples bake, whisk flour, almonds, remaining ½ cup brown sugar, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until combined.
- Add melted butter, vanilla, and water and stir with a spatula until clumps form and no dry flour remains.
Check the apples
- Remove sheet from oven and smooth top of apples with a spatula.
- If apples have not collapsed enough to leave at least ¼ inch of space below the rim of the pan, replace foil, return the sheet to the oven, and continue to bake 5 to 15 minutes longer.
Final steps
- Scatter the topping evenly over apples, breaking up any clumps larger than a marble.
- Transfer sheet to upper rack and bake until topping is evenly browned and filling is just bubbling at edges, 25 to 35 minutes.
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for at least 45 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nut-free version with Oats: Substitute half the flour with quick-cooking oats and substitute the almonds for whole oats.
We like Golden Delicious apples because of their ubiquity and consistent quality, but this recipe also works with Braeburn or Honeycrisp apples or a mix of all three. You should have 4 pounds of apples before peeling and coring. Dark brown sugar gives the topping a deeper color, but light brown sugar will also work. Do not use a glass baking dish here, since it retains heat after baking and may cause the apples to overcook. If you like, serve the crumble with ice cream or lightly whipped cream.
Don't Dive In Too Soon. Waiting at least 45 minutes before digging into the crumble will be hard but worth it. As the dessert cools, the apples' pectin molecules (which dissolve in the fruit's water during cooking) form a gel that immobilizes the water, resulting in a nicely set filling. Cut into the crumble before that gel has firmed and the filling runs out like hot soup.