Why is my crumble rubbish?

[Fosterdog123]

I thought even I couldn't go wrong! 3oz sr flour, 3oz oats rubbed into 3oz butter. Stirred in 3oz soft light brown sugar. Peeled cooking apples, bottom of a dish. Few blackberries, sprinkle of sugar. Topped with the crumble. 180 for 20 mins. I mean, it's edible and everything tastes ok with custard but it's distinctly meh and not a bit more-ish. What did I do wrong?

For what it is worth, I would rub in ordinary granulated sugar, rather than stirring brown sugar in to it, and then sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar before putting in the oven. Also, I would replace the oats with flour, then stir toasted oats through the mix before putting in the oven. That doesn't mean it becomes too sweet because, by adding the oats later it dilutes the sugar proportion. Toasting the oats gives them more flavour and a better texture.

I add oats after the rubbing together of butter, flour and sugar. I never add sugar to the fruit, I like the contrast of the sharp fruit and sweet crumble. I do poach the apples in a bit of orange juice though. The one dh took to work this week didn’t make it to 9am!

Thanks 4. Should I use plain flour rather than SR too or does it not matter?

I lay my topping out on a baking tray and toast it in a fairly hot oven. Then put it on the crumble fruit at the last moment and straight back in the oven. That way it doesn’t get soggy.

I tend to use plain flour unless I haven't got any, then I use self-raising. Doesn't seem to affect the result much. How about grating a little bit of nutmeg on the top, or adding a little ground ginger or some cinnamon?

Definitely plain flour, and granulated or caster sugar instead of brown.

I tend to stew the fruit first before using it in a crumble, keeping an eye on the sweetness (I like mine fairly sharp but others like MIL don't). Agree with PP that you should rub the sugar into the butter as the same time as the flour, then stir the oats in afterwards.

Also you can try refrigerating the crumble mix for half an hour or so after you've made it, before putting it on top of the fruit and baking. Supposed to make for a better texture.

I part stew my fruit first then allow it to cool a little (so it doesn’t melt the butter in the crumble topping). Then I top with crumble mix. I can’t tell you the recipe as I usually just eyeball it butter/granulated or caster sugar/plain flour. I don’t really enjoy oats in crumble topping.

In your case I would probably part stew the apples until slightly soft but with very little water or it will be soggy. Add them to the dish and put the blackberries on top (I’d be making the apple mix a little drier than I wanted as blackberries produce a huge amount of juice and no one wants soggy crumble undercarriage!). I second the idea of refrigerating the crumble but I would also say the best topping I ever made was some that I had frozen having made too much- I took it out of the freezer, smashed it apart a bit, stuck it on top and chucked it all straight in the oven. Was lovely!

I agree rub in the fat and flour then add the sugar. Stew the fruit. Once it's layered I add a crust of oats and brown sugar .

Part stew fruit.
Put crumble on baking tray in oven for a bit.
Assemble.
Finish off in oven.

Can anyone recommend an apple crumble/crisp/cobbler recipe please?

Agree with vodka, lay out crumble mixture on baking tray, cook and then put on top of fruit for last 5 mins. If the crumble top soaks up too much moisture and liquid from the fruit then it makes for a very heavy crumble

I've never done oats in it before. Just flour, butter and sugar (granulated). Might have to try it with oats but DH doesn't like fruit so will mean eating the whole thing myself, woe is me

www.rivercottage.net/recipes/apple-and-walnut-crumble

Without the walnuts, and using rolled oats in place of the oatmeal.

You're missing the heaped teaspoon of mixed spice in the apple part IMHO.

Chopped almonds in the crumble instead of oats is lovely too

The fruit part was fine. It was the crumble itself that was distinctly average.

I like Nigel slatters receipe on the bbc website. Although I do the lazy version - tinned apple from sainsburys (no they do have syrup or sugar added they are just apple chopped and cooked in the tin) and sprinkle on proper cinnamon and no sugar. The crumble bit is plain flour, after it doesn't need to rise, rubbed into butter then oats and Demerara sugar stirred in.

crumble could have a bit of cinnamon mixed in too, if you like it

always use granulated sugar in topping.we always stew the apple a bit first so you get that slightly melded bit in the middle to make a yummy soft fruit soaked crumbly bit before the harder topping.and ever use oats instead of flour.only ever if any add to top with s sprinkling.

Go to cash and carry and buy their mahoosive bags of crumble topping!

I add sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger to the stewed fruit - sometimes a glug of rum.

We hate powdery topping so now I mix the flour & sugar & oats then melt the butter and stir. Gives it more bite as you get some clumps - in a good way!

I never stew the apples it's much nicer just diced.

Topping is 10oz plain flour rubbed into 7oz butter and 6oz sugar. No oats,oats are revolting in crumble

I make crumble topping in the food processor and make tons of it in one go then freeze what hasn’t been used. You can then pour it on straight from frozen.
Anyway, I usually put and entire block of butter (chopped up) in with roughly the same amount of flour. Doesn’t matter at all if you use SR or plain because there’s nothing added to the crumble to activate the raising agents. Then ideally I’d use Demerara sugar but if I don’t have it, then granulated, or brown or a mix. I usually add chopped nuts of some sort - mixed or chopped pecans are nice. And oats. Don’t know quantities, I just add it till I think it looks good.
When you put it on the fruit, I pack it down then fluff over the top with a fork.
I don’t add spices to the crumble topping, but would add Demerara and cinnamon to apple slices.

As do as the Batty.

I usually add whatever nuts are around, or shredded coconut and bake from frozen on top of fruit that's been in the oven for a bit previously.

I like the idea of the cash n carry crumble! My friend made one with a ready-made mix and it was much nicer than mine.