Whats the secret to a good apple crumble?

[kay1981]

Should you use cooking apples or eating apples? (its for adults)

Any other tips?

xx

use cooking apples, and caster sugar.
don't press the crumble down too hard or it'll go rock solid.

Touch of cinammen and raisins - tastes great. I use eating apples as I think they are sweeter.

I use eating apples. My secret secret tip is to buy some whole almonds, and crunch a small handfull with a rolling pin, and add to the flour/butter mixture. Don't mash it until it's powdered, just some nice chunks. It's yummy.

but bramleys are sooooooo much yummier than eating apples. and you add the sugar for sweetness

I use eating apples if I have old ones knocking about that need eating up. If not I'll buy cooking apples. I put in loads of cinammon and nutmeg and mix oats into my crumble topping. (also put spice into crumble) Apple crumble is such comfort food in the winter. Thinking about it I might have to make one at the weekend!

defo cooking apples, and a couple of handfuls of rolled oats in with the crumble mix. dont forget the custard!!!

Grounds almonds added to the crumble mixture is lovely, or pinhead oatmeal.

If you slice a banana over the apple it adds a lovely seet flavour.

I love crumble....and egg custard....yum.

bramleys cooked with brown sugar and a little water. Brown suagr in topping too

I use eating apples in preference to cooking ones (Worcester Permain - sp? - if available).

LOADS of butter, melted in microwave a bit first

I add a little ginger and/or cinnamon to the crumble mixture. Soften the apples first by cooking with brown sugar.

My crumble is either rock hard or far too loose. How do you get yours to be just right?

Use 00 flour, it really does make a difference. And plenty of butter!

00 flour? What the heck is 00 flour?

Don't rub all the lumps out of the mixture, you want it rough and ready, rather than fine sand and use demerara sugar in the crumble topping.
For the apple I use eating apples, zest an orange and then squeeze the juice over it. Tis yummy.

I think it's extra, extra finely milled and sieved. It makes the lightest, crispiest crumble ever.

00 flour is italian extra milled flour.

Oh ok. Ta.

Sultanas

half cup wholemeal flour, 1tsp of cinnamon, 3/4 cup brown sugar cut into 75 grams of butter until crumbly then add half cup of rolled oats. Grate 4 apples (whatever sort comes to hand) into shallow oven-dish. Add a chopped up plum or two to apple if any are lying around. Then sprinkle crumble mix on top. Bake for 45 minutes or less if fan bake at 190 degrees until golden brown. This recipe hasn't failed me yet.

What pointydog said

I always use desert apples. They usually have more flavour and are sweeter. I really cant stand bramleys/cookers. They are too tart and tasteless.

I sometimes add a pinch of cinnamon and soak some sultanas in some warm water for an hour and add those in.

The crumble topping I do a standard crumble mix, but add about 1 heaped tablespoon of porridge oats for extra texture/crunch.

grrr dessert apples.

Ooh all those sounds yum!

Got my mum and her manfriend (she doesnt like BOYfriend, they're in their '50s!) coming for dinner tomorrow night and wanted a really yummy pudding, so will try some of your suggestions - im hungry now

Thanks everyone

xx