Delia Smith Apple And Blackberry Crumble Recipe

This easy apple and blackberry crumble is a warm and comforting dessert made with juicy apples, sweet blackberries, and a crunchy oat topping. Served with creamy vanilla custard, it’s perfect for cold evenings or a family treat.

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Ingredients Needed:

For the apple and blackberry crumble:

• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1 orange, zest and juice
• 1.5kg/3lb 5oz cooking apples (or 1kg/2lb 4oz cooking plus 500g/1lb 2oz eating apples)
• 50–60g/1¾–2¼oz golden caster sugar
• 500g/1lb 2oz blackberries

For the crumble topping:

• 100g/3½oz fine plain wholemeal flour
• 100g/3½oz ground almonds
• 100g/3½oz porridge oats
• 50g/1¾oz soft light brown sugar
• 150g/5½oz cold unsalted butter, diced, or 120g/4½oz chilled coconut oil
• 100g/3½oz mixed seeds, such as poppy, flax and sunflower
• pinch salt

For the custard:

• 300ml/10fl oz full-fat milk
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream
• 1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 free-range egg yolks
• 25g/1oz golden caster or soft light brown sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour (optional)

How To Make Apple And Blackberry Crumble Recipe?

1. Preheat the oven: Set it to 180C.
2. Prepare the apples: In a large bowl, mix the lemon and orange zest and juice. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples, adding them to the bowl and tossing them in the juice to stop them from turning brown.
3. Cook the fruit: Transfer the apples and juice to a large pan, add the sugar, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring often, until soft. Add the blackberries, stir gently, and add a little more sugar if needed. Let the mixture cool.
4. Make the crumble topping: Put the flour, almonds, oats, brown sugar, butter (or coconut oil), and salt in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Or mix by hand using your fingers. Stir in the seeds and place the crumble in the fridge.
5. Assemble the crumble: Spoon the cooled apple and blackberry mix into a large baking dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the crumble topping all over in a thick, even layer.
6. Bake the crumble: Place in the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling.
7. Make the custard: Heat the milk and cream in a pan with the vanilla pod and seeds (or just vanilla extract) until almost boiling, then remove from heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.
8. Finish the custard: In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour (if using). Slowly pour in the warm milk, whisking the whole time. Return the mix to the pan and cook on low heat, stirring constantly until the custard thickens. Don’t let it boil. When ready, remove from heat and keep stirring for another minute.
9. Serve: Pour the warm custard into a jug and serve with big spoonfuls of the hot crumble.

Recipe Tips:

• Use a mix of apple types: Combining cooking apples with eating apples gives the best texture—some apples break down into a soft base, while others stay chunky for a bite.
• Cool the fruit before adding crumble: Let the apple and blackberry mix cool fully before adding the topping. If it’s too hot, the butter in the crumble will melt too fast and turn soggy.
• Don’t skip the seeds in the topping: The mix of poppy, flax, and sunflower seeds adds crunch and nutty flavor. It also makes the topping healthier and more interesting.
• Watch the custard closely: When making the custard, stir it all the time and never let it boil. If it gets too hot, it can split and go lumpy.
• Use cold butter or coconut oil: For a crispy crumble topping, always use cold fat. If it’s too soft or warm, the topping won’t stay crumbly and golden.

How To Store Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: First, let the leftover apple and blackberry crumble cool to room temperature. Then, cover the dish or transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Let the crumble cool completely before freezing. Wrap it tightly or place it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 460 kcal
• Total Fat: 30g
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Cholesterol: 110mg
• Sodium: 90mg
• Potassium: 310mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 42g
• Dietary Fiber: 6g
• Sugars: 23g
• Protein: 6g

Try More Delia Smith Recipes:

• Delia Smith Chicken Basque Recipe
• Delia Smith Carrot and Coriander Soup Recipe