Apple and Blackberry Crumble

Friday 23 April 2010



Today, Friday the 23rd of April happens to be St George's Day. This just would not be an "English" kitchen without cooking something up to celebrate this auspiciously English occasion.



For those of you who don't know it, St George's Day is the National day of England. St George is the Patron Saint of England, and at one time this special day, set aside in his honour, was heralded with great feasting and celebration, being on par only with Christmas day. That could not be said today, although in recent years it's popularity is again on the increase and you will once again see St George's Day Celebrations and activities happening throughout the country in various places!



I was trying to think of a quintessentially English dish to make to celebrate the day. There were loads I came up with. After all the English are known throughout the world for their Roast Beef and Yorkshire Puddings, Fish and Chips, and oddly enough, Chicken Tikka Masala.



One thing that the English are really, really good at though, is their puddings, which is the name that is given over here to most desserts. You don't have dessert in most places . . . you have pudding, and one of the favourites has to be good old fashioned fruit crumbles.



You can't beat a good crumble, and if you combine tart Bramley cooking apples and sweet hedgerow Blackberries together in one, you have the perfect English pudding in my opinion.



This is a fantastic crumble, with a rich and buttery topping that is a bit different than most crumbles in that it includes flaked toasted almonds, which give it an added crunch and unique and nutty flavour.



With it's buttery, crunchy nutty topping and it's sweet/tart fruit filling, this is a real winner all round. I have added a bit of Peach Schnapps to the filling, which added another dimension of flavour to the dish, and if you really want to be English about it . . . lashings of warm custard ladled over top of the hot crumble are a definite given!

Happy St George's Day!



*Apple and Blackberry Crumble*
Serves 8 to 10

This came about one day when I was going to make an apple and blackberry fool. I forgot to buy the plain yoghurt and so ended up making a fruit crumble instead. It turned out delicious with a buttery almond filled crispy topping and sweet/tart fruit filling. Scrummy!

For the topping:
6 ¼ ounces plain flour
5 ¼ ounces caster sugar
1 tsp salt
4 ounces cold butter, cut into cubes
¾ cup flaked almonds, toasted

For the fruit filling:
3 (250g) punnets of blackberries
(fresh or frozen)
2 large brameley apples, peeled and sliced
5 ¼ ounces caster sugar
2 TBS corn flour
½ tsp salt
1 TBS peach schnapps

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Lightly butter a large shallow baking dish. Set aside.

Place the flour and sugar into a large bowl. Drop in the butter. Rub this into the flour and sugar until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the salt and the flaked almonds.

Place the blackberries and apples in a large bowl. Toss in the sugar, corn flour and salt. Sprinkle the peach schnapps over top. Toss together with your hands until well mixed. Spread into the prepared baking dish.

Squeeze the crumb mixture gently between your hands gently to make large crumbles. Drop on top of the fruit in the baking dish, covering it completely and trying not to break up the almonds too much.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Lashings of cream or custard are a MUST!

23 comments

  1. All I can say is mmm-mmm! I visit my parents in Washington State every summer and they have oodles of blackberries on their property....This will be a GREAT dessert to make with those berries. And the lashings of cream or custard....but of COURSE! Yummy stuff, as always ~ thanks! xx P&H

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  2. My mouth is watering. Wishing you a wonderful St. George's day.

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  3. You can't beat a nice crumble anything - but blackberry and apple is the best! Yours looks lovely.

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  4. Scrumptious!!

    Happy St George's Day

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  5. Oh YUM! It looks delicious! I made an apple crumble cake recently which was pretty delicious. I love the idea of adding berries.

    Rose

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  6. Lovely lovely pud! I have read that we are the only country in the world that grows Bramley apples. I don't know if that's so but if it is..aren't we lucky! Wild brambles, home-grown bramleys and all that buttery crumble - bliss

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  7. Sooo delicious... and so beautiful too! I love how the apples take on a pink tinge from the blackberries. :o) mmm... Happy Day, dear friend--LOVE YA ((BIG HUGS))

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  8. That's my idea of a perfect pud!

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  9. Simplemente delicioso. Un saludo

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  10. This is a perfect combination of hard fruit with berries. Sounds and looks fantastic. I love this type of combination - have you tried peaches and blueberries together?

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  11. Enjoy this day..
    Thanks for always making ours sweeter!

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  12. St George he was for England, and for her he slew the dragon; but first he took a sip of English ale, out of an English flagon.

    Thanks for remembering.

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  13. This is my idea of a good pud! lovely Marie x

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  14. There is something wrong about blackberries in April! Your Crumble looks great, but for me it should be rhubarb at this time of year.

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  15. Someone hand me a kleenex I'm about to start slobbering all over my keyboard !!!!!! Love crumbles. My kids like theirs with ice-cream.
    One of the main reasons St. George Day celebrations went on the wane was because he was de-sainted a few years ago. Something to do with the dragon?

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  16. Just my way of using up those last blackberries in my freezer from last fall Janice! When I was thinking of a dessert that ultimately English I couldn't get past the idea of crumble and Bramley Apples and Brambles (blackberries) are two of the most popular English fruits around! I have rhubarb in my garden that I am going to start cooking with soon though! I feel a strawberry rhubarb pie coming on! (Well, as soon as the strawberries are ripe that is!)

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  17. OH MY! Marie this crumble look awesome, I love crumbles specially with berries. Happy Saint George's day dear Marie!!!and have a nice weekend in you home and huggs for Todd, LOL Love ya gloria

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  18. I'm enjoying catching up on the recipes I've missed. I love desserts with fruit! This would be a wonderful combination! I have some raspberries right now! I wonder if they would work in this dish! ♥

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  19. I love apple and blackberry crumble! Going to have to make some right now. Do you think its ok to eat it for breakfast lol

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  20. Oh Marie! Those pictures are sending me right to the market for apples and blackberries!
    xoxo Pattie

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  21. Crumbles are so English. I love them a lot as they remind me of home. Every Sunday we have our Roast followed by a crumble. My dad always wants it served upside down with the crumble on the bottom! Happy St George's Day (even if it's a bit late!)

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  22. So pleased you posted this MarieAlice! I celebrated St George's day by visiting a National Trust property with a wicker picnic hamper filled with British picnic goodies!

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