Apple and blackberry crumble is a comforting and delicious autumn dish with an easy-to-follow recipe you can quickly whip up all season long. Guaranteed to delight your taste buds, this classic dessert combines naturally sweet apples with tart, juicy berries, and a hint of warming spices for the ultimate homestyle dessert.

Warm fruit dishes are always a cosy and satisfying treat to enjoy in the cooler months, and this apple blackberry crumble is no exception. It’s simple enough to prepare for Sunday nights at home (perhaps as a part of your Self Care Sunday routine) but it’s also packed with enough flavour to please a crowd, making it an excellent recipe to serve at seasonal gatherings. 

This dish is perfect for the upcoming holiday season because its warm, inviting flavours and homemade feel fit right into the festive nature of the celebrations. This recipe will certainly set your dessert table off in the right direction, but to cut down on holiday time stresses, you can leave the rest of the sweet treats to us. At Chummys we can provide a delightful assortment of  autumn-inspired cookies  and brownies to fill out your dessert table and keep guests coming back for more. This will allow you to trim down your to-do list and instead let your creativity shine with a fresh fruit dish that pairs perfectly with our selection of best seller postal brownie assortment. 

What’s the difference between a cobbler and a crumble?

Both a cobbler and a crumble come with a filling most often made from fruit, sugar and a thickening agent such as cornflour. However, each of these delicious desserts has subtle differences that distinguish them from one another.

A crumble is a fruit-filled dessert with a brown, crunchy topping. It doesn’t have a crust beneath the fruit, like a pie does; instead, a buttery, crisp topping covers the fruit. 

A cobbler is similar to a crumble, however, instead of a crumbly topping, the fruit is covered with a biscuit or cake-like batter. This batter is spooned on top of the fruit filling, whereas in a crumble, the topping is sprinkled.

Why You’ll Love It

Fresh Fruit Flavour- This crumble is full of wonderful fruit flavour. It’s a dish that embodies the essence of the season, whether it’s the juicy sweetness of summer berries or the comforting warmth of baked apples during Autumn. One of the best parts of this recipe is that it’s so easy to adapt to your preferred flavours. Including your favorite spice blends can add a new dimension of flavour or you can forgo the apples and combine a variety of blueberries and strawberries to make a mixed berry crumble. 

Variety of Textures- There’s magic in every bite of this crumble, thanks to its contrast of textures. Each spoonful delivers tender fruit bursts perfectly balanced with a crunchy, crumbly topping. Serving your crumble with a generous pour of custard or a heaping spoonful of ice cream presents an even more indulgent layer of delight, adding a rich creaminess that further complements the dessert’s textures.

Comfort food- Dessert crumbles are cosy and filling for those cool autumn evenings. In addition to the vibrant zing from the fruits, your crumble will also have a rustic homemade charm that evokes familiar feelings of warmth and nostalgia. It’s a dessert that can be made by and enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Ingredients:

Apples- Sweet varieties such as Braeburn and Pink Lady make a nice contrast with tart varieties such as Bramley apples. Combining sweet and tart apples will yield even more flavourful bites once the crumble is cooked and keep the flavour exciting.

Blackberries- Fresh blackberries are ideal for this recipe, but frozen blackberries that have been defrosted can work incredibly well too. Just make sure the frozen blackberries are completely thawed because frozen fruits carry quite a bit of extra moisture, which can make your crumble filling thinner than desired. 

Cornflour- Cornflour is an important binder that thickens the sauce. Omitting it would leave your filling runny and unable to hold together. 

Granulated White Sugar- Sugar enhances the natural sweetness of the dish and aids in the browning of the crumble topping. For a deeper flavour, you may also use brown sugar as an alternative.

Spices- Cinnamon and nutmeg come together as a duo of warm and cosy spices that add depth and seasonal flavour to this easy dessert.

Plain Flour- Plain flour makes the base for the crumble topping. When combined with the other ingredients, it makes for fine, crunchy, crumbles with the most delectable flavour.

Cold Butter- Butter holds together the flour base and creates small air pockets that give the crumble its distinct texture.

Tips and Substitutions

• When choosing fruit, be sure to pick those with vibrant coloured flesh that is free from blemishes. Be sure to also choose firm apples so they don’t become soggy while baking. This crumble isn’t meant to be mushy, but to have a nice bite of texture. 
• Spread the fruit filling into an even layer to ensure a consistent bake across the entire dish. 
• Allow the dish to rest for at least 15 minutes before eating. This allows the sauce to fully thicken up. When you first take the crumble out of the oven, the topping may be soft to the touch but it will fully crisp up as it cools. 
• While the crumble is delicious on its own, you can elevate this dessert’s flavours by topping your crumble with custard, vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

How to Make Apple and Blackberry Crumble

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Yield: Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

150 grams fresh blackberries

3 medium apples, diced into bite size pieces

67 grams white sugar, divided

1 tablespoon cornflour 

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

120 grams plain flour 

1/4 teaspoon salt

113 grams unsalted Butter

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Prepare a 1.5L baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cut the blackberries in half and place them into the baking dish. Core the apples, dice them into 1.25cm pieces and place them into the baking dish. 
3. Sprinkle the fruit with 2 tablespoons of sugar, the cornflour, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Gently mix until well combined and spread into an even layer in the baking dish.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt and the remaining sugar until well combined. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the cold butter into the flour mixture until crumbles form. The ideal texture has some b crumbles mixed into a finer crumble texture for a variety in each bite. 
5. Sprinkle the crumble toppings generously all over the fruit mixture, covering as completely as possible. 
6. Bake the crumble for 25-30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling at the sides and the top is browned and crumbly, broiling for 2-3 minutes at the end of cooking time if needed for browning. Allow 15 minutes to cool then serve warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, enjoying warm or cold.