Delia Smith Apple Crumble Recipe

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There’s a particular kind of crumble that separates the good from the truly memorable. Delia Smith’s version belongs firmly in the second category.

It isn’t just apples under a blanket of buttery crumbs. Toasted almonds in the topping give it a short, crisp bite that plain crumbles simply don’t have.

This recipe comes from Delia’s Complete How to Cook. It’s designed to serve six to eight people, making it a practical choice for a Sunday lunch pudding.

Once you understand the method, you’ll find yourself reaching for this one again and again.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This isn’t a complicated bake. But it rewards a little attention to detail.

• The almonds toast as they bake, adding a nutty crunch most crumbles don’t have.
• Pressing the topping down firmly gives a crisper, more substantial finish.
• There’s no pastry to roll and no fiddly presentation required.
• The filling’s sweetness is easy to adjust depending on your apples.
• It scales well for a crowd, so it suits family gatherings.

Ingredients You Will Need

For the apple filling:

• 700g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 225g Cox’s apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 25g light brown soft sugar
• 1 level tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves

For the crumble topping:

• 75g chilled salted butter, cut into small dice
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 level dessertspoon ground cinnamon
• 110g demerara sugar
• 110g whole almonds, skin on

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Bramleys give the filling its soft, fluffy texture once baked. Cox’s apples hold their shape a little more, so the two together create a nice contrast in the finished dish.

Light brown soft sugar sweetens the fruit gently, without overpowering it. Ground cloves are strong, so ¼ tsp is enough to add warmth without dominating the flavour.

Chilled butter is essential for the topping. If it softens before you rub it in, the crumble turns greasy rather than crumbly.

Self-raising flour gives this topping a slightly lighter texture than plain flour would. Demerara sugar helps the top caramelise and turn a deep golden colour as it bakes.

Leaving the skin on the almonds adds colour and a firmer bite. Roughly chop or pulse them so they stay chunky rather than turning to fine crumbs.

How to Make Delia Smith Apple Crumble

1. Preheat the oven.
Set it to 200°C, or Gas Mark 6. Give it time to reach full temperature before the crumble goes in, as a properly hot oven is what gets the topping crisp.

2. Ready your dish.
Use an ovenproof baking dish measuring roughly 24cm x 16cm and 6cm deep.
Anything close to this size will work, but avoid going too shallow or the filling may bubble over.

3. Peel and core the apples.
Peel 700g Bramley apples and 225g Cox’s apples using a sharp knife or a potato peeler.
Cut each apple into quarters first, then slice out the tough core from each piece.

4. Slice the apples.
Cut the quartered apples into thickish slices, around 1cm wide.
Don’t slice them too thin, as they’ll break down completely during the long bake and lose their texture.

5. Season the fruit.
Tip the sliced apples into a large mixing bowl.
Add 25g light brown soft sugar, 1 level tsp ground cinnamon, and ¼ tsp ground cloves.

Toss everything together with your hands or a spoon until every slice is evenly coated.
The cloves are strong, so make sure they’re distributed throughout rather than clumped in one spot.

6. Fill the baking dish.
Tip the seasoned apples into your prepared dish.
Spread them into an even layer, pressing down gently so there are no large air gaps underneath.

7. Start the crumble topping.
Cut 75g chilled salted butter into small dice and add it to a food processor. Add 175g self-raising flour and 1 level dessertspoon ground cinnamon.

8. Bring the topping together.
Add 110g demerara sugar to the processor along with the butter, flour and cinnamon. Pulse in short bursts until the mixture looks like coarse, sandy crumbs — stop before it starts clumping into a dough.

If you don’t have a processor:
Put the flour into a large bowl and add the diced chilled butter. Rub the butter into the flour using just your fingertips, lifting the mixture as you go to keep air in it, until no large lumps remain. Stir in the cinnamon and demerara sugar once the butter is fully worked through.

9. Add the almonds.
Add 110g whole almonds, skin on, to the crumb mixture. Pulse briefly, just two or three short bursts, so the almonds break into rough, chunky pieces rather than fine powder.

By hand, roughly chop the almonds with a knife first, then stir them through the crumb mixture until evenly distributed.

10. Top the apples.
Spoon the crumble mixture over the apples in an even layer. Work right out to the edges of the dish, making sure no fruit is left uncovered, as exposed apple can dry out or catch in the oven.

11. Press the topping down.
Using the flat of both hands, press the crumble mixture down firmly all over the surface. Don’t be gentle here — the more tightly it’s packed, the crisper the topping will bake.

12. Score the surface.
Finish by dragging a fork lightly across the top in a few strokes. This creates shallow ridges that help the topping brown more evenly.

13. Bake.
Place the dish on the centre shelf of the oven. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the topping is well browned and crisp all the way across.

Check at around the 35-minute mark if your oven tends to run hot. If the top is colouring too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the remaining time.

14. Rest before serving.
Remove the crumble from the oven and leave it to stand for 10 minutes. This gives the bubbling fruit juices time to settle, so you don’t end up with a watery pool when you serve it.

15. Serve.
Spoon the crumble into bowls while it’s still warm. Serve with well-chilled clotted cream or crème fraîche alongside.

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Expert Tips for the Best Results

Use cold butter, and work quickly if you’re rubbing it in by hand — warm butter turns the topping greasy rather than crumbly. If your kitchen is warm, it can help to chill the crumb mixture for ten minutes before it goes on top of the fruit.

Don’t skip the pressing-down step. It’s tempting to scatter the topping loosely, as you might with other crumbles, but firmly compacting this one is what gives it its short, crisp texture rather than a soft, sandy one.

Taste a slice of raw apple before deciding on sugar quantities. Bramleys vary in sharpness from one bag to the next, and it’s easier to adjust before baking than after.

Watch the topping in the final ten minutes of baking. Ovens vary, and almonds can catch and darken quickly once the crumble is close to done — if it’s browning too fast, loosely cover with foil.

Variations and Adaptations

The original recipe uses cooking apples, cinnamon and cloves, but the technique behind it — a firmly pressed, almond-studded topping — adapts well to other fruit.

Blackberry and apple: A half-and-half mix of blackberries and apples works particularly well in early autumn, when both are in season.

Stone fruit: Apricots or plums make a good summer alternative, though you’ll likely need less added sugar if the fruit is ripe.

Rhubarb: A spring variation, though rhubarb releases more liquid, so it’s worth tossing it with a spoonful of flour before topping.

Dietary adaptations: For a gluten-free version, swap the plain flour for a gluten-free blend designed for baking. For a nut-free version, simply omit the almonds and slightly increase the flour to keep the topping’s volume consistent.

These are suggested adaptations rather than the original recipe, and each will change the baking time slightly depending on how much moisture the fruit releases.

More Desserts:

• Pavlova
• Fatless Sponge

What to Serve With Apple Crumble

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Apple crumble is rich enough to stand alone, but a creamy accompaniment makes the contrast even more enjoyable.

Clotted cream is particularly indulgent and provides a cool, dense richness.

Crème fraîche is an excellent option if you prefer something with a little tang. Its acidity can balance the sweetness of the fruit and topping.

Warm custard remains one of the most familiar pairings for a British crumble. It flows into the fruit and softens the crisp topping slightly.

Vanilla ice cream is ideal when the crumble is served straight from the oven. The contrast between the hot fruit and cold ice cream is hard to resist.

For a fuller dessert spread, serve the crumble after a simple main course and allow the pudding itself to be the centrepiece.

Nutrition Information

Each serving, based on 6–8 portions, comes to approximately

• 561 calories
• 54.3g carbohydrate
• 35g sugars
• 37g fat
• 18.5g saturated fat
• 0.4g salt.

These figures depend on your exact ingredients and portion sizes. Treat them as a general guide rather than a precise calculation for your own version.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using soft butter. Butter that’s too warm won’t rub into crumbs properly — it’ll form a paste instead. Keep it cold and work quickly.

Scattering the topping loosely. Skipping the firm press-down step is the most common reason a homemade crumble ends up soft rather than crisp on top.

Overcrowding the dish. If your baking dish is too shallow or too full, the fruit can bubble over in the oven. Leave a little headroom, or place the dish on a baking tray to catch any spills.

Slicing apples too thinly. Very thin slices collapse into mush during the long bake, losing the pleasant bite you want beneath the topping.

Can You Make This Recipe Ahead of Time?

Yes, to a point. The crumble topping can be made in advance and kept, covered, in the fridge for a day or two, or frozen for several weeks. The apple filling can also be prepared and refrigerated a day ahead.

However, it’s best to assemble and bake the crumble close to serving time, as the topping loses some of its crispness if it sits on top of the fruit for too long before baking.

Storage and Reheating

Leftover crumble keeps well in the fridge for two to three days, covered. Reheat individual portions in the oven at 180°C for 15–20 minutes.

The microwave works in a pinch, though the topping will be softer. The crumble also freezes well once baked and cooled, wrapped tightly, for up to two months.

Reheat from frozen in a moderate oven until piping hot throughout.

Meal Prep Ideas

This isn’t a dish for portioning into individual meal-prep containers. It does, however, suit batch baking well.

Make a double batch of the topping and freeze half in a labelled bag. That way, a fresh crumble is never far off, whatever fruit you have on hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this apple crumble be frozen?

Yes, either baked or unbaked. If freezing unbaked, assemble it in a freezer-safe dish and bake from frozen, allowing extra time.

What can I substitute for almonds in the crumble topping?

Chopped hazelnuts or pecans work well instead. You can also leave the nuts out entirely and slightly increase the flour.

Why is my crumble topping soggy instead of crisp?

This usually happens when the topping isn’t pressed down firmly enough. It can also happen if the fruit releases too much liquid, so toss very juicy fruit with a spoonful of flour first.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes. Use a larger baking dish and extend the baking time slightly, checking the topping is fully golden before removing it.

Can I use only Bramley apples for this apple crumble?

You can, but the finished dessert will have a different character. Bramleys soften considerably and bring a sharper flavour. The combination of Bramleys and eating apples creates greater variation in both sweetness and texture.

Can I use a different apple instead of Cox’s?

Yes. Choose a flavourful eating apple that can tolerate baking without immediately turning to purée. The exact result will vary according to the variety.

Conclusion

There’s a reason this apple crumble has earned its reputation. The spiced apple filling and firmly pressed, almond-studded topping give it real texture.

It’s straightforward enough for a weeknight pudding, yet substantial enough for a family gathering. Once you’ve made it with almonds, it’s hard to go back to a plain crumble.