Inside this apple crumble are a number of tender apples and crumble topping that provides plenty of sweetness and crunch. This is an original German recipe that has been passed down for generations, thanks to my friend Ines. It is her Oma’s apple crumble recipe, a traditional family recipe. It’s a simple recipe that uses just a little more than a handful of ingredients and I have to say, what makes it particularly special is how the sugar and butter caramelize in the oven to form an amazingly delicious crumble crust.
It’s an apple crumble that everyone raves about, one that always has them coming back for more. And because Oma’s Apfelkrümel has developed such a reputation over this years, it’s fine time it be shared. This recipe pretty much remains true to “Oma’s” original version, with a small adjustment to the amount of butter (Oma used a hefty 250 g) and Ines likes to lightly “steam” the apples by adding a splash of apple juice when sautéing them so very slightly in butter before adding them to the springform.
Truth be told, I have never tried it myself since I am not sweets or dessert person (crazy I know!) — unless of course it’s something super healthy! But as I said, everyone loves Ines’ family recipe, she let me share. So this weekend I baked an all-time favorite, comes together perfectly every single time, Apfelkrümel recipe. One to be shared.
A very simple to prepare traditional German recipe for a sweet crumble with tart apples.
CourseDessert
CategoryGerman
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 396 kcal
Autor Elle
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 7-8large applesmix of Boskop and Elstar work well, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1/2tablespoonbutter
- splash of apple juice
For the base and crumble topping:
- 2cupsall-purpose flour or white spelt flourType 1050 (250 g)
- 1cupfine granulated sugar200 g
- 1teaspoonbaking powder
- 200gbutter
Method
Preheat the oven to 390°F / 200°C and grease a Ø 24 cm round springform pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper.
NOTE: You can also use the oven’s fan-force at 360°F / 180°C as it will make a more crispy and caramelized crumble topping. Keep an eye on it though to make sure it doesn’t brown too much.
In a large, deep skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add the apples and stir, then add a splash of apple juice (not too much otherwise the base will be soggy later). Sauté for a few minutes; stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Whisk the flour, sugar, and baking powder together in a large mixing bowl until combined. Cut the butter into dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
TIP: I like to pop the butter in the freezer until it’s hard and then grate the frozen butter through the large holes of a box grater directly into the dry ingredients and then let my fingertips do the rest of the work. Alternatively, use two knives (or a pastry blender) to cut the butter into the flour until you have little tiny bits of butter. Then take over and crumb the mixture by rubbing it together with your fingers.
Sprinkle about 1/2 of the crumble mixture over the bottom of the prepared spring form pan. Press it down and up the sides of the pan. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for about 5-6 minutes (pre-baking is optional, but helps avoid a soggy base.
IMPORTANT: keep an eye on it, as it browns quite quickly).
Remove the springform from the oven and scatter the apple slices over the base. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over top. Transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour, until golden brown.
Remove the apple crumble from oven and let cool completely before removing the sides of the springform pan.
Enjoy!
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FAQs
Apple crisp is a dessert made with a streusel topping. In the US, it is also called apple crumble, a word which refers to a different dessert in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Ingredients usually include cooked apples, butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and often oats and brown sugar, ginger, and/or nutmeg.
What's the difference between apple crumble and apple crisp? ›
Like an apple crisp, an apple crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats or nuts. Instead, a crumble's topping is more like streusel, made with flour, sugar and butter.
What's the difference between apple pie and apple crumble? ›
Dessert-wise, in this case, specifically apple centric, pie would be the apple filling encased in upper and lower pastry sheets with a nice decorative crimp at the join. A crumble is most usually the Apple filling directly in the dish with a crumble topping, most often basically made up of sugar, butter and flour.
What is the crumble on apple crumble made of? ›
Apple crumble recipe topping is typically made of butter, sugar and flour which gets topped on the cooked fruit filling. To add an extra element of texture and flavour, oats, coconut, nuts and cinnamon can be added to the crumble mix.
Do the French eat apple crumble? ›
French Apple Crumble Cake. French style Apple Crumble Cake is a different take on the classic. Apple spiced compote is sandwiched between a buttery oat crumble and served chilled for dessert.
Do you eat apple crumble hot or cold? ›
Apple Crumble also makes a great breakfast. Either you can microwave it, which is our usual method, or you can cover with foil and reheat at 350°f / 180°c in the oven until warmed through. Usually we tend to just warm up individual servings as needed though in the microwave. Apple crumble is also amazing cold!
Why is it called Brown Betty? ›
This has led some historians to believe that Betty was the name of the cook and creator of the recipe and that brown was in reference to her skin color.
Why is my apple crumble topping not crunchy? ›
The main reason your crumble topping isn't crunchy is probably because you haven't used Demerara sugar. Although, it could also be that you've got your topping ingredient quantities wrong: either too much or not enough flour and butter alongside the sugar.
What is the secret to good crumble? ›
❓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.
Dutch apple pies have a crumbly streusel topping, while classic apple pies have a top layer of regular pie crust. Learn more about these types of apple pies.
In a large bowl, toss together apples, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; transfer to prepared dish. In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in 1 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt until large pieces form. Scatter over filling.
Why do you peel apples for crumble? ›
Yes, peeling the apples needs to be done before making an apple crisp. Unlike the flesh of the apple, baking the skin won't make it tender and delicious. Sure, it'll be less crisp, but more like soggy fish skin than crisp inviting apple skin. A crisp bake with the skin on the apples would be gross.
How long does apple crumble last in the fridge? ›
This apple crumble will keep quite happily in the fridge for three days. Reheat in a microwave or put the whole thing in the oven on a low temp to heat through. You can also freeze the whole crumble before you bake it or once its cooked and will be fine in the freezer for 4 months.
Is crumble supposed to be crunchy? ›
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.”
Why is crumble so popular? ›
Why are Crumbl cookies so popular? It might be due to dessert trends, the popularity of chocolate chip cookies and Crumbl's minimalist yet polished aesthetic.
Do they have apple crumble in America? ›
American Apple Crumble requires a firm apple. Some people don't like Granny Smith apples because they are too tart but I love them in apple crumble because they balance the sweetness of the sugar and cinnamon. Jazz or Royal Gala are also excellent options (a Bramley Apple is too mushy).
What is crumble in America? ›
A crumble is essentially a crisp, but it can have a slightly different texture. Greenspan's version includes chopped nuts, though many recipes stick with only butter, sugar, and flour, maybe with some warm spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.
What is another name for crumble dessert? ›
In an actual crisp, as in apple crisp or strawberry crisp, the oats in the topping crisp up as it bakes, hence the name. As time has gone by, though, the lines have blurred and the names crumble and crisp are now used interchangeably.
Is a cobbler the same as a crumble? ›
Cobbler: A fruit dessert made with a top crust of pie dough or biscuit dough but no bottom crust. Crisp/crumble: In Alberta, the terms are mostly interchangeable. Both refer to fruit desserts similar to cobbler but made with a brown sugar streusel topping sometimes containing old-fashioned rolled oats.
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