How do you make your crumble mix?

[listsandbudgets]

Mine always goes wrong and ends up more powder than crumble.

Please give me your best recipes. I've just picked a huge bowl of blackberries, it would be nice to do them justice with the crumble for once :)

Delia recipe(Sorry don’t have to hand)

150g flour, 60g butter - rub together to make breadcrumbs or blitz in food processor. Stir in 50g sugar and handful of oats, then bake on a tray for about 15 minutes or so before scattering over the fruit and baking for a further 20 minutes or so.

The blind baking bit was a tip from Raymond Blanc and makes for a slightly crunchy crumble, rather than a soggy one.

Same as Random but sprinkle with water before baking to help the crunch.

Nigella claims the texture of the topping is improved by giving the mixture a "quick blast in the deep-freeze" after it's been rubbed together. (Alternatively, if you're making the mixture ahead of time, you can simply store it in the fridge until you're ready to use). The thinking behind this is presumably the same as with chilling shortbread dough, slowing the melting of the butter and thus helping the crumble to retain its pebbly shape while cooking. 120g flour (she uses self-raising, but admits this is because the only other flour she keeps in the house is "Italian 00 and its qualities are just not required here", so I substitute plain instead), 90g butter, and 6 tbsp sugar, rubbed together into a mixture that resembles "porridge oats".
Nigella also claims that rubbing the butter in by hand makes for a "more gratifyingly nubbly crumble; the processor can make the crumbs so fine you end up … with a cakey rather than crumbly texture". Personally, I didn’t see much difference when I tried the two methods.
To create a crunchier crumble topping, spread the crumble onto a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes at 190C/170C fan or until very lightly browned. Then scatter it over the fruit and pop back in the oven for 15 minutes or until a good colour has developed.
Rolled oats are also a nice addition to an apple crumble, but I like a handful scattered on top, rather than mixed in, so they toast, rather than cook into a stodgy porridge below. Slices such as ground cinnamon, ginger and so on – also work well in moderation.
The ratio of ingredients would also play a part. Too little butter and you run the risk of dust rather than crumble. My crumble has to have enough butter to hold it together like cookie dough before baking. Of course you can always add more sugar or less. Sweetness is more about the individual palate.

Crumble is one of the few things that I can cook.

8oz plain flour (substitute 1 or 2 oz flour for equivalent weight in oats if you want more texture)
3 and a Half oz softened butter
Sprinkling of cinnamon or vanilla

Mix together

Add 3 oz fine brown sugar

Mix together

140g porridge oats
100g plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100g butter
100g light muscovado sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup

Rub together everything except the golden syrup. When it’s all rubbed together, drizzle the golden syrup over it and mix with a knife so it comes clumps.

Sprinkle evenly over your fruit.

I always stir in some desiccated coconut with the oats which helps with crunchiness (and sweetness)

I’ve found this recipe to be the best crumble topping:

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/applecrumble_2971

Think I will have to have crumble tomorrow now!

Raymond Blanc advocates cooking the crumble mix separately on a baking tray so that it gets nice and crisp, and only sprinkling it on top of the cooked fruit just before serving. This avoids the stodginess you can get with crumble. I've tried his way and after a lifetime of hating wet stodgy crumble, I now love it.

Agree with PP the RB cooking method. Found it a couple of years ago and only use this method now.

Empty plates all round

Whatever the amount of plain flour, half the amount of butter and brown sugar. So 120g flour, 60g butter, 60g brown sugar. Easy to remember. Always lovely! I make blackberry and apple crumbles for our local Autumn Fair. Always v popular!

Same as SpringIsSprung1
IMO crumble doesn't need or benefit from extras like oats, cinnamon etc. Just keep it simple.

I use Jamie Olivers’s recipe (but with plain flour): www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/apple-crumble/

But I’d never make enough for two, even though it’s just for me. I make a big batch and freeze it - then can whip up a solo portion whenever I like!

I’m loving the RB suggestion (although it never goes too soggy for me). Will try it for cooked-apple-hating DS!

I have to say, the Raymond Blanc method was an absolute revelation (in an apple crumble kind of way). Really made a huge difference.

Half fat to flour plus a little sugar.

I used 8oz of flour, 4oz butter, 4 oz sugar, a sprinkle of cinnamon or mixed spice.

I use the block butter chopped but straight from fridge. All in a bowl and rub butter into flour sugar with fingers.

I usually use eating apples, so don't add sugar to those, it just takes a lot more apples than cooking apples. Yum.

This is my recipe:

Go to Aldi
But the pack of pre-done stuff
The end 😂

(I tried to make it by hand once and don't ask me how but it went wrong. So I've ended up using packages since!)

But seriously... I'd rather learn how to make it now so am following your thread. (I have a good food processor now so no excuse and it would also cut down on plastic use to make my own. Not that I buy it regularly - once a year? but still..)

I do actually have an apple tree, plus flour and butter in the cupboards so I really must make a crumble this weekend! I will report back how it goes!

6oz flour, 2oz porridge oats, 4oz butter, 4oz sugar (brown is better)

If it’s going powdery you are overworking it, mix it using just fingertips and just until it’s combined, don’t worry about getting every lump out.

Same quantities of plain flour, oats, butter/marg, brown sugar. Add seeds or nuts if you like. The oats make an infinitely better texture.