Do you sautee your apples when making a crumble

[ByDandyFawn]

Really boring question.

Just made a crumble for the first time in ages. Sautéed the apples in a bit of butter and sugar and then made a slurry as many recipes recommend. Think it made the apples way too mushy.

Do you?

I do - but only for 5 mins or so

Slightly stew mine for a few minutes or I don't bother.

Nope. Slice them up with sugar and cinnamon to taste. Crumble on top, sorted!

God, no, that would stew it into apple sauce way too much for me. I use cooking apples and they cook down just fine, eating apples are ok too and you need way less sugar, but they can be a bit firm if you have the extra crispy ones like Pink Ladies.

I do them in the microwave but not to mush!

Yes, but not for very long
(I also cool the crumble topping separately, I think it was a Raymond Blanc recipe. Game changer as it doesn’t go stodgy :) )

I used to but don’t bother any more. Liberally butter the dish then add the fruit and then crumble. I use unpeeled eating apples rather than cooking apples, and don’t add sugar. We have “jumble crumble” - DC think it’s very exciting but in reality it’s all the wrinkly old fruit chucked in so a mixture of apples / pears / plums / kiwi etc. Tinned pineapple is also delicious and I sometimes add a sprinkle of dried craisons or dates.

No.

Sorry I’m being thick. Does that mean you just bake the crumble on its own and then sprinkle on top of baked apples? Do you not like a crust to form with the crumble?

No I don’t pre-cook the apples at all.
I always use Bramley apples. A British classic.

Peel and core apples.
Chop up into chunks. Drop them raw into a dish.
Bit of cinnamon spice.
Sugar to taste. Sometimes I use soft brown.
Spread crumble mix on top.
Bake until golden.
Devour.

I used cooking apples. Don’t get me wrong the flavour was superb but just far too mushy. Only sauteed for maybe 4 or 5 mins

No, never.

All the recipes online tell you to cook the apples first!

thinking back, my gran never bothered

What is a slurry in this situation? I understand slurry used in thickening (cornflour and water) but slurry in a crumble is a poser 🤔

Back to the apples, a very quick stew rather than sautée.

Nope, peel & slice apples, then bung in a dish with a drizzle of water, add the crumble then cook 🙂

Used to but not anymore.

Yes, bake it separately on a baking sheet, then add to the fruit for the last 10 min of cooking :)

Just added some cornflour and water to the juices at the bottom of the pan after sauteeing the apples. I didn’t want to waste all that flavour

Oh ok got it, thank you!

No, definitely not. If I use Bramleys I cut them quite chunky too, otherwise they do turn to mush. I often use Granny Smiths as they don’t need added sugar and keep shape better.

I don’t precook the apples either. Just slice them (usually bramley/cooking apples) fairly thinly, put them in a pie dish with a sprinkle of sugar on top.

I make the crumble with melted butter which is so much easier as you can just stir it into the dry ingredients with a spoon and it comes out more clumpy and turns crunchy, like a flapjack type topping.

I use both Bramleys and Granny Smiths in mine, I find it gives me the best balance of pieces-in-mush

Damn, I want crumble and custard now.

I stew mine for a few minutes. Chopped Bramleys with a splash of water, some sugar and a pinch of ground cloves, cooked just long enough to soften the apples but not totally reduce them to mush. My DM always used to add whole cloves but then you have to pick them out and if you miss one and chew it it's quite unpleasant 😂

This is in Aibu why?

No. Apples cook really quickly. No pre cooking needed. Just add butter and sugar to sliced apples.