Apple and Berry Crumble with Custard
A comforting dessert perfect for autumn, combining apples with wild blackberries from the hedgerows of Wicklow, topped with a sweet, crumbly topping. Served with a quick custard, it’s a classic treat.
Takes
Serves 6
Ingredients
Fruit:
- 1.4 kg apples or pears
- 200 g blackberries or other berries about 1 ¼ cups
- 120 ml water 8 tbsp
- 30 ml maple syrup or 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Crumble Topping:
- 150 g oats 1 ½ cups (gluten-free if necessary)
- 100 g ground almonds 1 cup
- 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 3 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 50 g desiccated coconut ½ cup
- 100 g plant-based butter or coconut oil
- 90 g brown sugar or coconut sugar ½ cup
Custard:
- 500 ml oat milk 2 cups
- 80 g icing sugar 2/3 cup
- 1/10 tsp turmeric powder
- 5 tbsp cornflour
Instructions
Preheat the oven:
- Set to 170°C fan.
Prepare the fruit:
- Wash, core and chop apples into bite-sized pieces. Remove tops from strawberries if using.
Stew the fruit:
- Combine fruit, water, maple syrup or sugar, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until tender but still holding shape. Stir occasionally. Add fresh blueberries at the end if using.
Prepare the crumble topping:
- In a bowl, mix oats, ground almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and desiccated coconut. Melt the plant-based butter or coconut oil and allow to cool slightly, then stir into the dry mixture with the sugar or additional maple syrup. Mix well.
Assemble the crumble:
- Transfer the stewed fruit into the ovenproof dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit.
Bake:
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until topping is golden and fruit is bubbling.
Make the custard:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine oat milk, icing sugar and turmeric. Whisk together. In a separate small bowl, mix 5 tbsp cornflour with approximately 50 ml of the oat milk mixture to form a slurry. Add the slurry to the saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and thin with 1–2 tbsp oat milk if needed.
Serve:
- Best served warm with a generous portion of custard on top.