Apricot Crumble Cake

The apricot crumble cake is a delicious dessert that combines the sweetness of this fruit with the crunchiness of a crumbled pastry. Here is the recipe with an Italian twist:

Ingredients

• 500 g of all-purpose flour
• 200 g of cold butter, cubed
• 200 g of granulated sugar
• 1 whole egg + 1 yolk
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 600 g of fresh apricots (or alternatively apricot preserve)
• Powdered sugar (optional, for decoration)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and grated lemon zest.
2. Add the cold cubed butter and start to work the mixture with your fingertips until you get a sandy dough.
3. Incorporate the whole egg and yolk, mixing until you have a granulated but slightly more cohesive dough.
4. Take about two-thirds of the dough and spread it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, pressing lightly to create a compact base.
5. Halve the fresh apricots, remove the stones, and arrange them on the pastry base.
6. If using apricot preserve, spread it evenly over the layer of dough.
7. Crumble the remaining dough over the apricots, without pressing too hard.
8. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and bake the crumble cake for about 40 minutes, until it turns golden.
9. Let it cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar, if desired.

Curiosity

The crumble cake is a classic of Italian pastry, similar in a way to the English crumble. It is often filled with jams or ricotta and can be enriched with dried fruit or spices, such as cinnamon, depending on personal taste and the seasonality of the products.