Blackberry, Apple and Almond Crumble

There is no dessert that Todd loves more than a good crumble.   Apple.  Blueberry.   Strawberry rhubarb . . . if it has crumble in the name, Todd loves it.  Well, maybe not as much as the memory of his mother’s apple pies, but almost!

I think that next to Apple Crumble (which is right up there with apple pie for him) he loves Blackberry and Apple Crumble the best.  And this is a particularly lovely version.

The filling is composed of not just one, but two varieties of apples.  A good cooking apple (over here I would suggest Bramley apples), and a good eating/dessert apple.  (Cox is nice)

I then like to add a bit of spice  . . . along with some sugar.  (I used demerara, but you could use the equivalent of soft light brown sugar.) Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.  But that isn’t my only secret to deliciousness here . . .

I also add a layer of crumbled marzipan before I put on that oaty buttery topping!  I think the flavour of buttery toasty oats cannot be beat,  unless you add a tiny bit of warmth from some home sweet home spicy cinnamon . . . along with a hint of lemon via some finely zested lemon peel.

Oh my, this is deliciously scrummy!  The tartness of the fruit, all spicy and slightly sweet . . . the colour . . . ruby and deep purple . . . those moreishly tasty pockets of marzipan which melt down into all that ruby tart/sweet goodness . . . and that buttery oaty spicey lemony crumble topping . . . G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S!!

If you only make one crumble this year, and you really should . . . let it be this one. Seriously. It is truly fabulous!!

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The English Kitchen
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