Recipe: Apple Crumble

If I buy too many apples or pears and want to cook them up quick and tasty, I often resort to improvising something. A favorite is to make a crumble or cobbler. I can control the sugar and butter this way, and it's a chance to enjoy something a bit decadent.

APPLE CRUMBLE
For the filling:
6 or 8 apples, peeled, cored and diced
Two to four tablespoons sugar (granulated, brown or Turbinado work well)
1 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons flour

For the topping:
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup brown sugar (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For the filling: Toss apples, sugar, spices and salt with melted butter. Add flour and toss into fruit mixture until all is well coated. Spoon mixture into a greased or sprayed Pyrex baking dish (8x8 works well).

For topping: Mix dry ingredients together well. Add butter and vanilla and toss until texture is crumbly. You don't want it too dry and sandy in texture, nor do you want huge, buttery clumps. If it's too dry, add a bit more butter, or if it's too moist, add a tablespoon or flour or oats at a time until texture is right.

Then sprinkle topping over the filling. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. (I tend to check after half an hour. If the topping is golden brown and the fruit mixture is bubbling, I consider it ready. Otherwise I give it another 10 minutes or so.

Let cool and enjoy!

Variations: I tend to improvise a lot in the kitchen and this basic recipe is quite versatile. Sometimes I add a bit more sugar or use honey instead to sweeten the filling. In the past I've also added raisins, dates, chopped candied ginger and other dried fruit, or have used as pears as the filling base. Not in the mood for vanilla or cinnamon? Try a splash of lemon juice or a bit of rum/rum extract or other liqueur. Part of the fun is using what you have in the fruit basket or in the cabinet and seeing what you can come up with. The options are almost limitless.