Apple Crumbles

Crumble desserts are great for any occasion. They’re quick and easy to make, and you can use pretty much any fruit you want. I chose granny smith apples for my crumbles because, well, I haven’t done a lot of baking with apples – my baked goods tend to deal in bread, chocolate, or berries. These turned out to be the perfect dessert for a recent family dinner, and I’m looking forward to trying them again with other fruit in the future.

Recipe adapted from Leite’s Culinaria

Difficulty: Easy
Active Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Prep Time: 50 – 55 minutes
Special Equipment: 4 ounce Ramekins, pastry blender
Serves: 12

Filling Ingredients:

• 6 granny smith apples, peeled and diced
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½ inch pieces

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

2. In a large bowl, mix the diced apple with the egg, brown sugar, flour, melted butter, and cinnamon using a wooden spoon. Mix until the apple is completely coated.

3. Spoon the mixture into the individual ramekins and set aside.

(Move on to the topping)

4. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture and place the butter into it. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture. Pieces of butter should be pea sized, and the mixture should now be pretty coarse.

5. Sprinkle the topping liberally on top of the fruit in each ramekin.

6. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the topping has turned a light golden brown. (If using a larger ramekin like I did, bake that one for 30 minutes instead). Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then serve warm.