So it is June 1st 2016 today. If you were expecting an ice cream recipe, or a light, summery pavlova, sorry folks. It’s been pouring with rain since yesterday, with very little let up and it’s cold. Instead I have a wonderfully comforting pudding for you, Toffee Apple Crumble.
The perfect combination of flavours. Tart, just cooked slices of Bramley apple, covered in a light crumble with more than a hint of toffee flavour.
Toffee Apple Crumble came about as the result of a need for something warm and comforting, that was also not too labour intensive to make. Whatever the reason; tiredness, pain, just-can’t-be-bothered, it’s been a long day, this recipe is quick and easy to make. Bake in the oven, whist you relax and you have yourself a top notch pudding that feels like a warm blanket is being wrapped around you as you eat.
I will also confess an extra cheat. I had 2 x 300g packets of ready prepared, frozen Bramley apple slices, from Waitrose in the freezer. Some days I just have to use ready prepared and I’m good with that.
Now, in all honesty, I wouldn’t describe myself as a ‘pudding’ person. In most instances I’d rather have cheese and biscuits…….. Thought I’d give you all a moment there to digest that fact (my puns are getting worse!!!).
However strange it may seem, I do actually like a proper pudding instead of a meal. Yesterday, when I made this Toffee Apple Crumble, I actually ate it for lunch. Quite often, for example over Christmas, I’ll have Christmas pudding and cream for lunch or supper. So I do enjoy puddings, just on their own, as a meal in itself!
I know I am in the minority and that there is such a thing as a ‘pudding tummy’ where, once you have finished your main meal there is ALWAYS room for something a little sweet to round off the meal. I applaud you, I really do. When I’m full, well, that’s me finished. No pudding or cheese and biscuits.
Oh how I wish I could eat as much as I did when I was younger and competing in every sport I could!!!
Oddly, I really enjoy making puddings. My hubby is definitely a pudding man. Upon receiving a microwave as a wedding present, it took him under 30 seconds to find the recipe for lemon sponge! Something I still have yet to make for him. Oops!
I think it is the joy of seeing someone’s face, full of pleasure, as they tuck in and devour a well made, tasty pudding, that gives me so much pleasure. My wonderful hubby’s face when he saw the Toffee Apple Crumble, was absolute pleasure. Married twenty years this year and I still enjoy cooking for him as much as I always have.
Recipe: Toffee Apple Crumble serves 6 real pudding lovers!
250g/9oz Plain White Flour
1/2tsp Baking Powder
175g/6oz Unsalted Butter – cold and cut into cubes
1/2 packet Wright’s Baking Toffee Cake Mix – TIP make double the amount of crumble topping add a whole bag of Toffee Cake Mix and freeze half in a freezer bag for up to 3 months!
2 tablespoons Demerara Sugar
600g Peeled Sliced Bramley Apples – peeled weight – start with approx 1kg of apples
1 teaspoon Corn Flour
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan, gas mark 4
- Place the flour and baking powder in a large bowl, add the cold, cubed butter.
- Use either a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour see Perfect All Butter Shortcrust Pastry, or rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the toffee cake mix into the bowl and thoroughly mix.
- Place the Bramley apple slices in a deep pie dish.
- Add the corn flour, sugar and cinnamon and toss the apple slices, to coat them with clean hands.
- Cover the apple slices with the toffee crumble mix and then sprinkle over the demerara sugar for extra crunch and an added toffee flavour.
- Place the Toffee Apple Crumble dish onto a baking tray and place in the centre of a preheated oven.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden and the apples underneath are softened.
- Once baked remove from the oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving. I’ve found that letting a crumble sit for a while stops the topping from falling apart as I dish it up.
- Serve with homemade custard (recipe coming soon), cream, vanilla ice cream, or on it’s own. If it hadn’t been so cold and wasn’t raining, I would absolutely have gone out to the garage and had Very Vanilla Ice Cream with my custard!
Toffee Apples are traditionally associated with Autumn, when apples are in abundance. My Toffee Apple Crumble brings those flavours together in a dessert that is perfect, whenever a warm, comforting pudding is needed.
If you have enjoyed this Toffee Apple Crumble recipe here are a few others you may also like:
Almond Blackberry Pear Crumble
Do you have a ‘pudding tummy’?
Do you choose your dessert first, when out for a meal?
I love hearing what your eating habits are, as weird as that sounds. I’m not talking peculiar flavour combinations, simply which foods you prefer and those you try to avoid.
Thank you again for all the kind comments that you leave here on the blog and on Instagram and Twitter. Please keep them coming along with the gorgeous photos of your makes and bakes.
I hope the weather is beautiful wherever you are and you can enjoy feasting and haing fun in the sun!
Sammie xx
Wright’s Baking sent me some cake mixes to try. I was not paid for writing this post and as always, all pictures, content, opinions and views are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy.
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