Autumn Apple and Blackberry Crumble: Fruit Dessert
Select firm Braeburn apples to ensure the fruit holds its shape during the bake. Avoid overripe fruit that feels soft to the touch, as these will collapse into a jam. Use fresh blackberries for your autumn apple and blackberry crumble, or select frozen ones that remain whole. Put back any berries that show signs of mould or leak juice excessively in the punnet.
This American dessert combines sliced fruit with a crumbly topping of plain flour, demerara sugar, and butter. You must keep the butter cold to create a light, flaky texture. Bake the dish at 190°C (375°F) until the topping is golden brown and the fruit bubbles. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to thicken. The result is a contrast of tart berries and a sweet, buttery crust.
Autumn Apple and Blackberry Crumble: Fruit Dessert
Recipe cardIngredients
Watch how it's made
Instructions
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Prepare the oven
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Ensure the oven is fully heated before the dish goes in to ensure an even bake.
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Prepare the fruit
Peel, core and slice the apples into 1 cm wedges. Rinse the blackberries thoroughly. Slice the apples uniformly so they soften at the same rate during baking.
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Mix the filling
Combine the sliced apples, blackberries, 50 g caster sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and 15 ml lemon juice in a bowl. Toss the mixture gently to coat the fruit. The lemon juice prevents the apples from browning.
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Prepare the topping
Whisk together 120 g plain flour, 20 g demerara sugar and a pinch of salt in a separate bowl. Add the cold butter cubes. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
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Assemble the dish
Grease a 20 x 13 cm (8 x 5 in) baking tin with butter or line it with baking parchment. Spread the fruit mixture evenly across the tin. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit.
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Bake the crumble
Bake for 45–50 minutes. Look for a golden brown topping and fruit that is bubbling and soft. The bubbles indicate the sugars have caramelised and the fruit is cooked through.
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Rest and serve
Remove the crumble from the oven. Let it rest for 5 minutes. This allows the fruit juices to thicken slightly before you serve it warm.
Keep the butter cold and avoid over-mixing the topping. If the butter softens or melts into the flour, you will lose the light, flaky texture. The crumble should look like coarse breadcrumbs, not a paste, to ensure a crisp finish.
Plain flour substitutes
Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend to make this dish suitable for gluten-free diners. This substitution maintains the structure of the topping without altering the taste. Do not replace the flour with cornflour or rice flour alone, as the topping will not bind into the required crumbly texture.
What to serve with it
Pair this crumble with a scoop of vanilla custard or dairy-free vanilla ice cream for a creamy contrast. For additional texture, add toasted almond slivers or a leaf of fresh mint. A drizzle of light caramel sauce over the top adds a rich layer of sweetness to the fruit.
Storing and reheating
Store leftover portions in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-proof tin for up to 3 months. Reheat frozen portions overnight in the fridge and then bake for 10 minutes in a 200°C (400°F) oven.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 315
- Protein
- 4.2 g
- Carbs
- 38.5 g
- Fat
- 14.8 g
- Fiber
- 4.1 g
- Sugar
- 22.4 g
Estimated, and offered as a guide rather than a medical figure.
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Questions people ask
Do you need to cook blackberries before putting them in a crumble?
No. You place them in the tin raw because they soften and release their juices during the 45 to 50 minutes in the oven, creating a natural syrup that coats the apples.
Can you give me a recipe for Autumn Fruit Crumble?
Combine 300 g sliced apples and 115 g blackberries with sugar and cinnamon. Top with a rub of 120 g flour, 60 g cold butter, and demerara sugar, then bake at 190°C (375°F).
What is the best recipe for apple and blackberry crumble?
The best result comes from using cold butter rubbed into flour to ensure a flaky topping. Baking the fruit for 10 minutes before adding the topping helps to caramelise the natural sugars.
