Delia Smith Apple Crumble

This Delia Smith Apple Crumble is a timeless British pudding with soft, gently spiced apples and a crisp, buttery topping. It has a comforting balance of sweetness and sharpness, with a golden crumble that stays light rather than heavy. The recipe is easy to follow, even for beginners, and uses simple pantry ingredients. From start to finish, it takes about 50 minutes, making it perfect for a relaxed family dessert.

Ingredients

For the apple filling

• 750g cooking apples, such as Bramley
• 75g caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp water

For the crumble topping

• 175g plain flour
• 110g cold unsalted butter, diced
• 75g demerara sugar

How to Make Delia Smith Apple Crumble

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Place a shelf in the middle of the oven so the crumble cooks evenly and the topping turns golden.
• Prepare the apples: Peel, core, and slice the apples into thick wedges. Place them in a saucepan with the caster sugar, cinnamon, and water.
• Soften the filling: Cook the apples gently over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just starting to soften. Transfer to a buttered ovenproof dish and spread evenly.
• Make the crumble topping: Put the flour into a bowl and rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
• Add the sugar: Stir the demerara sugar into the crumble mixture, keeping it light and loose rather than packed.
• Assemble: Spoon the crumble topping evenly over the apples. Do not press it down, as this helps the topping stay crisp.
• Bake: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
• Rest before serving: Remove from the oven and let the crumble stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips for the Best Apple Crumble

How do I keep the topping crunchy?

Use cold butter and avoid pressing the topping down. A loose crumble allows hot air to circulate and keeps it crisp.

Which apples work best?

Cooking apples like Bramley give the best balance of sharpness and texture. Mixing in one eating apple adds natural sweetness.

Can I make it less sweet?

Reduce the sugar in the filling slightly or rely on the natural sweetness of the apples.

Why is my crumble soggy?

Too much liquid in the filling can cause sogginess. Pre-cooking the apples briefly helps release excess moisture.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm with custard
• Pair with vanilla ice cream
• Add lightly whipped cream for a softer contrast

Storage

Room temperature

Keep covered for up to 24 hours in a cool place.

Refrigerator

Store covered for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven to restore crispness.

Freezing

Freeze fully baked and cooled crumble for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat until hot throughout.

Nutrition

• Calories: 380 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 52g
• Protein: 4g
• Fat: 18g
• Saturated fat: 11g
• Sodium: 45mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Delia Smith Apple Crumble

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

A classic Delia Smith apple crumble with tender spiced apples and a crisp buttery topping.

Ingredients

• 750g cooking apples

• 75g caster sugar

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 175g plain flour

• 110g unsalted butter

• 75g demerara sugar

• 2 tbsp water

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan.
• Peel, core, and slice the apples, then cook briefly with sugar and cinnamon.
• Transfer apples to a buttered baking dish.
• Rub butter into flour until breadcrumb texture forms.
• Stir in demerara sugar and sprinkle over apples.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Notes

• Use cold butter for a crisp topping.
• Do not press the crumble down.
• Serve warm for best flavour.