Apple crumble for pudding later:)

Near us there is an orchard that is also a nursery. Its proper bargain stuff. Currently, due to a bumper crop, they are selling off apples for 20p / lb. (that's about half a carrier bag full for a quid).

I got some last week and we've already had several crumbles from them, but I have some left and I'm going to buy more today anyway. Here's my way.

Peel and chop up about two apples, put them in a saucepan and just cover with water. Bring it to the boil then simmer.

While its simmering, peel and chop a few more apples, adding the chunks as you go along, and stirring them in, until you have enough for the size of pudding you want to make.

Add a generous amount of sugar to the stew, and optionally cinnamon or ginger to taste. Keep it simmering and keep stirring it until you end up with a thick stew. Cook it for too long and it turns to mush, so take care.

Allow it to cool while you prepare the crumble. Here's all I do.

Mix plain flour, butter and sugar with a ratio something like 5 parts flour, 2 butter, 1 sugar. I think the text books say 3:2:1 but I find that makes it too 'heavy'. Mix it all up, making sure to work the butter into the flour. It shouldn't make anything resembling dough. If it does, you've probably used too much butter, so add more flour. You are aiming for a sort of lumpy granular almost dry mix. Add a bit of cinnamon if you like.

Put the apple stew in a suitable earthenware deep pie dish, then put your crumble mix over the top, then give the top a dusting with sugar. Whack it in the oven on gas 5 or 6, and wait for it to go golden brown, about 20 minutes to half an hour. Let it cool off a bit and serve with custard. Hmmm, I might go and do it now rather than waiting til later

 

Sounds good Clue

I've got a load of lightly scrumped apples in the kitchen, think i'll give that a go too.

Just eating a fish soup, apart from the fish, all the rest of it came from the garden.

 

Bang went that idea, no butter.

Eating stewed apple now.

 

When making a crumble, I never stew the apples before assembling the crumble (it could be argued that is a waste of energy?)

My apple slices 'cook while the crumble is in the oven (and you get that lovely soft bottom of the crumble which goes so well with the crisper topping: mmmmm, delish!)

 

Cor deeeelish.....you got a bargain there Clue go back and get a load more...stew them ,bag them then freeze 'um....

 

When we do crumble's we like to and around 2 oz of porridge oats to give them a bit more crunch.

 

Excellent idea. Especially given the health benefits of oats. I might do that next time.

 

I LOVE apple mush!

 

I add chopped almonds. Top off with palm sugar scrapings for the final 5/10 minutes to get nice caramelly bits on the top sometimes.

@clueless1 - we like our apple bit quite tart, so I add a splash of cider vinegar and use palm sugar for a softer sweetness.