Bramley Apple & Cinnamon Nut Crumble Recipe

Prepare apples

Preheat oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / 375°F / gas 5. Peel, core and thickly slice the Bramley apples so you have roughly 1 kg of prepared fruit.

Place the sliced apples in a large saucepan with the caster sugar, demerara sugar, lemon juice, ground cinnamon and vanilla extract. Toss to combine so the apples are evenly coated.

Add the water to the pan and bring everything to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until the apples have softened but still hold some shape (they should be tender, not mush).

Mix the cornflour with a little cold water (about 1 tbs) to make a smooth slurry, then stir it into the apple mixture and simmer for a further 1 minute until the juice thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and taste; add a little more sugar if you prefer it sweeter. Set aside.

Transfer the apple mixture into a 20–23 cm (8–9 in) ovenproof pie dish or individual ramekins, spreading into an even layer. Spoon and scrape in any remaining juices — these will help keep the filling moist while baking.

In a large mixing bowl combine the plain flour, rolled oats, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Stir in the chopped nuts so they are evenly distributed.

Add the diced cold butter to the bowl. Using your fingertips, a pastry cutter or two knives, rub or cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized lumps — this gives a good crunchy texture when baked.

Evenly scatter the crumble topping over the prepared apple filling so most of the apples are covered. Gently press the topping in places to create a compact layer but leave some texture for crispness.

Place the assembled crumble on a baking tray (to catch any drips) and bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges. For a darker, crunchier top, grill (broil) for the final 1–2 minutes — watch carefully to avoid burning.

Remove from the oven and allow the crumble to rest for 10 minutes; this helps the filling set slightly and makes serving easier.

Serve generous spoonfuls of Bramley apple and cinnamon nut crumble warm, accompanied by pouring custard or scoops of vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can be reheated gently in a 160°C / 140°C fan / 325°F oven for 10–15 minutes.