For me, a just-out-the-oven crumble evokes warm, fuzzy memories of my family tucking into dad’s Sunday roast beef, debating whether our post-roast dessert should be served with ice-cream, custard or cream.
Bubbling, stewed fruits paired with a gnarly, crispy topping makes for one of the greatest British desserts of all time, especially when you’re dished up the corner slice with those extra-burnt crumble pieces.
And while a crumble, whether it’s apple, rhubarb, blackberry, plum or even peach, is pretty simple to make – there’s one overlooked step that can take your bake to the NEXT LEVEL.
According to recipe developer and restaurateur Matthew Lockwood, one of the biggest mistakes we’re making when it comes to making a crumble is not freezing our topping beforehand.
Yep! He revealed that the way he ensures his crumbles are perfect every single time, is by freezing that topping before sprinkling on stewed fruit and baking.
“I can’t stand crumbles that have a layer of floury sugary dust on top. They’re supposed to be chunky and craggy, with big pieces of crumble on top. By freezing your topping, it makes it harden just slightly and that means the texture will be nice and crispy when it’s cooked.”
To do this properly, you first need to make sure that the topping is still a little lumpy. A crumble topping is made by rubbing butter into dry ingredients (flour, sugar and sometimes ground almonds, too).
Once this is done, wet your hands, and mix the topping even more, allowing it to form into larger clumps. Pop into the freezer for 15 minutes before sprinkling over your stewed fruit of choice and bake in the oven.
Ta-dah, foolproof crumble EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.
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Victoria Chandler
Vicky is our Food & Drink Director, where she oversees strategy and content across all of Hearst's brands, from recipe development to fun video franchises and everything in between.
With almost a decade's experience, Vicky was previously Editor of Delish UK, and Digital Food Editor of Good Housekeeping and she lives and breathes food content creation.
Outside of work, Vicky loves learning about wine, eating her way around the world, and hanging out with her dog Pickle.
FAQs
❓FAQ
- Use cold butter. This will help to create a crumbly texture that will not stick together when baking.
- Use a mix of flour and oats. The oats will add a bit of crunch and texture to the topping.
- Don't overmix the ingredients. The crumble topping should be made with a "coarse" crumb.
If you use more butter than the recipe calls for, the crumb topping will be melted and greasy. If you don't use enough butter it will be dry and floury.
How to fix apple crumble topping? ›
Butter, which encourages both browning and crispness, is the magic ingredient in getting your topping just right, so follow the recipe instructions. But if you feel your topping is still too dry and crumbly, (even for a crumble) add a bit more melted butter, a tablespoon at a time.
How do I stop my crumble from getting soggy? ›
Use a shallowish dish if you've got a wet fruit mixture, otherwise the crumble will start to dissolve before it's baked.
What things crumble easily? ›
Baked goods seem to crumble easily, but other things tend to crumble too: old houses, over time; sand castles; fragile ruins; and art objects made from clay. Anything that falls apart, especially into small bits, can be said to crumble.
What makes something a crumble? ›
A crumble is typically a dessert with a crumbly topping consisting of flour, butter, sugar, and sometimes oats, baked over a fruit filling. Apple and rhubarb are two popular varieties. Savoury fillings such as meat, cheese or vegetables may alternatively be used.
Why doesn't my crumble go crispy? ›
Slow and steady wins the crisp and crumble race. Baking in a moderate (350-375˚F) gives the fruit time to break down into that saucy goodness. Go too hot and the crumble topping with get too dark before the fruit is ready. You'll be left with too-hard fruit and a burnt topping, which will make both you and us sad.
Do you use cold or warm butter for crumble? ›
A well-made crumb should be firm yet tender, and chewy, with big chunks—like granola. The best way to achieve this is to use cold cubed butter. Using room-temperature or melted butter will cause the topping to spread out and flatten when it bakes, rather than standing pert and perky.
Why put baking powder in crumble topping? ›
A crisp contains oats in the topping, while a crumble does not. Baking powder can also be added to a crumble topping (like it is here) to ensure it's extra light and tender.
Why add lemon juice to apple crumble? ›
This is known as oxidation and occurs when the cells within the fruit are exposed to air. Lemon juice helps with this, acting to coat the flesh and protecting it. It also adds extra flavour to your apple crumble recipe and offsets the sweetness of the sugar.
The most common cause of hard crumble is using the wrong amount of butter. So, be sure to measure carefully! If you don't use enough, your crumble will be too hard. However, to fix it, just add melted butter one spoonful at a time over the mixture until it is a little moister and crumbles with ease.
Why is my crumble chewy? ›
Different sugars yield different results. Demerara gives a really chewy, slightly crisp topping; light muscovado or soft brown sugar lends a fudgy flavour and texture, while caster or granulated sugar results in a shortbread-like crumble.
How to get crumble crunchy? ›
To get the perfectly crunchy apple crumble topping you're going to want to use:
- Cold, unsalted butter.
- 2 different types of sugar – caster for regular sweetness and crunch, and soft brown sugar for that slight caramel flavour.
Then, make sure to bake the crumble long enough so that the fruit filling comes to a profuse simmer at the edges of the pan. This shows that the cornstarch has been activated enough to thicken the juices, turning them supple and silky.
How to know when crumble is done? ›
Cover the pan with foil, and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 25 to 30 minutes, until the crumble is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Leave to stand for 5-10 minutes, then serve warm with custard or ice cream.
Why is my crumble not crumbly? ›
Often this happens if the crumb topping is over-mixed or if the butter was much too hot. Over-mixing will leave you with a pasty, batter-like mixture rather than the crumbly topping you are aiming for. Using very hot butter can cause the sugars to melt, leaving you with a greasy and not crumbly mixture.
What is crumble topping made of? ›
Crumble topping is a combination of only 3 simple ingredients: butter, flour, and sugar. It adds the perfect sweetness and crunch to any muffin, quick bread, or pie!
