Apple Crumble

Apple crumble is a dessert typical of English cuisine, known for its crunchy topping and soft fruit heart. It’s a simple dessert to prepare and is widely appreciated. Here is a version with an Italian twist, using ingredients like almonds or Vin Santo to flavor everything.

Ingredients

• 4 apples (Granny Smith or a similar variety that is slightly tart)
• Juice of one lemon
• 150 g of brown sugar
• 100 g of flour
• 80 g of cold butter
• 50 g of chopped almonds (for an Italian variant)
• A pinch of cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• 20 ml of Vin Santo (optional for an Italian variant)
• Vanilla ice cream or custard to serve (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by peeling the apples and cutting them into cubes. Put them in a bowl, add the lemon juice, half of the brown sugar, and, if you wish, the Vin Santo. Mix well and let it macerate for a few minutes.
2. In another bowl, mix the rest of the sugar with the flour, the chopped almonds, the cinnamon, and the salt.
3. Add the cold butter cut into small pieces to the flour mixture and use your fingers to work it until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Pour the apples and their juice into a baking dish and spread them out evenly.
5. Sprinkle the butter and flour mixture over the apples, covering them completely.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 40 minutes, or until the surface becomes golden and crispy.
7. Allow the apple crumble to rest for a few minutes before serving.

You can then accompany the warm apple crumble with vanilla ice cream or some custard, to add a note of freshness and creaminess.

Curiosity

The crumble has British origins and is said to have been born during the Second World War, when ingredients for desserts were rationed, and there were not enough raw materials to prepare entire pies. Over time, it has become a very popular dessert, even outside the United Kingdom, and each country has created its own version.