Apple crumbles are pretty much a staple in my household. It requires minimal ingredients and is so flavoursome. This Walnut Apple Crumble is bursting with fruits packed with nuts and has the bonus of being easy to adapt making it an amazing alternative to the classic dessert.
This recipe is so simple that I was slightly doubtful about posting it. Most recipes usually take me at least two or three tests before I can safely say that I want to post it. But this recipe is one that pretty much worked the first time round. Either way I still want to share my version of making this classic.
The perfect Walnut Apple Crumble
The perfect apple crumble is essentially what you want it to be. You can make it make it buttery or vegan, crispy or soft, the options are endless. For example, I prefer mine to not be as sweet as the typical shop bought apple crumble/pie.
So if you’re trying to fulfil that sweet-tooth that’s been niggling for the past few hours then don’t hesitate to add a few more tbsp of sugar. I also prefer my apples to be soft which is why I bake them beforehand on their own before adding the crumble on top. This step is definitely not necessary but I think it certainly brings the dessert together.
I used Granny Smith apples when I made this particular batch but typically I’d opt for Bramley cooking apples. Due to the pandemic it’s been extremely hard to find particular ingredients. The shortage has largely impacted on dry produce. But I have noticed that particular varieties of fresh foods have been hard to come by as well.
Ideally if you can get cooking apples then use those instead and remove the lemon juice from the recipe. I’ve added the total weight of the apples used in this recipe so that the difference in size is accounted for.
The ingredients
I know flour is shockingly hard to come by right now. As I mentioned above I couldn’t find Bramley cooking apples either. So here are substitution ideas if you’re missing particular ingredients:-
Replace the flour with another cup of rolled oats. Light brown sugar is ideal but not necessary. You can either you caster sugar or mix a bit of dark brown sugar and caster sugar together.
Although, I love using almond extract in desserts like this any extract will do. Plain old vanilla always does the trick just fine. Oil instead of salted butter will work and is also a good option if you have dietary requirements.
As for the walnuts, I recommend pecans as a replacement if you don’t have any on hand. Nuts such as hazelnuts and almonds can also work. They just won’t soften as walnuts do in the oven and will produce a crunchier crumble.
If you enjoy this recipe let me know.
Walnut Apple Crumble
A classic English dessert with a twist. Best served warm with a scoop of ice cream.
Ingredients
Filling
- 6 granny smith apples *
- 1 – 2 Tbsp Lemon juice
- 3 – 4 Tbsp Light brown
- ¼ Tsp Cinnamon powder
Topping
- 1 Cup (90 g) Walnuts
- 1 Cup (100 g) Rolled oats
- 1 Cup (130 g) Flour
- 3 -4 Tbsp Light brown sugar
- 1 Tsp Almond extract
- ¼ Cup (60 g) Salted butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 170 C (340 F).
Peel and core apples. Dice into medium to small cubes and fold in lemon juice, brown sugar and cinnamon powder. Place filling into a pie tin or ovenproof safe dish of choice and place in oven for 15 minutes.
In the meantime add rolled oats, flour and half of the walnuts (45 g or ½ cup) into a food processor and blend till smooth. Add to a bowl along with the soften butter, sugar and vanilla.
Mix the crumble ingredients together initially using a spoon then using your fingers until a crumble forms. Gently crush the remaining walnuts into medium sized chunks and fold into crumble using a spatula.
After 15 minutes remove apples from the oven and sprinkle the crumble mix on top.
Bake in the oven for another 20 minutes until crust is golden brown. If you prefer your apples to be softer, bake for another 10 minutes.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
Recipe Notes
* This is approximately 480 g once peeled and cored. If you’re using Bramley apples then use 4 apples and omit lemon juice.
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