A warm and cosy Apple and Plum Crumble made with fresh apples and plums and topped with a delicious buttery topping. Serve with hot custard, and it's comfort food at its best.
Crumble is a quintessentially English dessert made of a layer of fruit at the bottom and a lovely crumble topping. You can make it with different fruits, but I love this combination of apples and plums.
If you love crumbles, check out my recipe for Apple Crumble and Blackberry & Apple Crumble.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Easy to prepare.
- The perfect comfort food.
- A great accompaniment to a Sunday roast.
Ingredient Notes
Plums - you can use any variety as long as they are ripe.
Apples - Granny Smiths are ideal for crumbles as their taste is tart. You could use any variety as long as they are not too sweet.
Cinnamon - for a hint of warm spice.
Plain Flour (all purpose flour) - you could also use self-raising flour.
Brown Sugar - this gives the topping a lovely caramel flavour.
Unsalted Butter - unsalted butter gives you complete control of the overall flavour of your recipe, as the salt content in different brands of butter can vary a lot.
Oats - purely optional, but adds a nice crunch and texture.
Step by Step Instructions
Note: This is a summary of the instructions. The full ingredients and instructions are shown in the recipe card below.
Step 1. Cut the apples and plums into bite-sized pieces and place them in a medium-sized saucepan. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and a splash of water. Cook for 10 minutes over a medium heat, stirring regularly until they begin to soften.
Step 2. Transfer the plums and apple mixture to a deep baking dish.
Step 3. To make the crumble topping, rub the flour and butter together with your fingertips until it resembles bread crumbs. Add the sugar and stir in to combine.
Step 4. To assemble, pour the crumble topping over the apples and plum mixture and press down lightly with the back of a fork. Sprinkle over the oats and bake in the oven until the crumble is light brown and apples and plums begin to bubble.
Quick Tip: You can use a food processor to pulse the flour and butter together, rather than using your hands. Just be careful not to overprocess, otherwise you will end up with pastry!
FAQs & Expert Tips
Yes - you can freeze it baked or unbaked. If you freeze unbaked, wrap well in plastic wrap and consume within 3 months. If freezing it baked, let it cool completely before wrapping in plastic wrap.
Crumble is best eaten fresh from the oven, but if you have any leftovers, it can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat in a low oven.
Yes - simply leave them to defrost first.
In summer, you can serve it with cream or ice cream. In winter, hot custard is perfect!
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📖 Recipe
Apple and Plum Crumble
Ingredients
Crumble Filling
- 2 apples (approximate weight 450g / 1lb before peeling), medium sized, note 1
- 4 plums (approximate weight 200g / 7oz before de-stoning), any variety, note 2
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Crumble Topping
- 160 g plain flour, (all purpose flour)
- 115 g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 85 g brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons oats, any kind such as jumbo or quick cook
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan / 190°F / 375°F.
For the Filling
- Peel and core the apples and chop them into 2 cm (¾") pieces. Cut the plums in half, remove the stones then slice them into eights.
- Add the apples and plums to a saucepan, add the cinnamon, white sugar and 2 tablespoons of water. Heat over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly until they start to soften. Transfer to a deep 25 cm (9") oval dish (or equivalent size) and put aside while you make the crumble topping.
For the Topping
- Put the butter and flour in a large bowl and rub together with your fingers until it is evenly distributed and the mixture has formed small clumps. Add the brown sugar and stir in to combine.
To Assemble
- Pour the crumble topping over the apples and plums, and spread evenly, then pat down gently with the back of a fork. Sprinkle over the oats and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.
- Serve with hot piping custard or vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Notes
- Granny Smiths (the green apple) are best for crumbles, as they're not too sweet. But you could use any variety.
- Plums: an easy way to take the stone out is to slice the plum along the seam and twist it apart.
Nutrition
Nutrition: The nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with an online nutrition calculator.
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