Apple Crumble

A classic fruit crumble with a craggy, buttery topping given extra crunch by a spell in the freezer before baking.

Servings: 4

Prep: 20m

Cook: 30m

Total: 50m

150g plain flour (or 100g plain flour plus 50g ground almonds)
125g chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
35g demerara sugar
35g caster sugar, plus extra for the fruit
900g fresh fruit (e.g. apples, or apples and blackberries), peeled/cored and cut into chunks
a handful of porridge oats or chopped nuts (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
Rub or pulse the flour, ground almonds (if using) and butter together until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with a few larger lumps, then stir in the sugars.
Sprinkle over a little cold water and mix with a fork until lumpy and crumbly. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes, or in the fridge if making ahead.
Put the prepared fruit in a lightly greased baking dish, sprinkle with sugar to taste, and add any spices you fancy (a little cinnamon or ginger works well).
Scatter the crumble mixture over the fruit without pressing it down, top with oats or nuts if using, and bake for about 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve slightly cooled.