Apple and plum crumble is a delicious dessert made with baked apples and plums, topped with a crumbly mixture of flour, oats, sugar, and butter. A super simple but always gorgeous recipe!
As I write this recipe, it’s April and fairly sunny. Not what you’d consider crumble weather.
We typically think of crumble as a comforting winter pudding. But I love it all year round.
Crumble is sweet and fruity, which are summery flavours, and if you don’t fancy custard when it’s hot (I’d eat custard any time!) you can serve it with a refreshing and cooling scoop of ice cream.
*This post may contain affiliate links to products I find useful when making this recipe. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.*
Ingredients for Apple and Plum Crumble
The best thing about plum and apple crumble, and any other crumble, is how easy they are! I make my crumble topping with oats, because I love both the flavour and texture, but you still don’t need many ingredients.
When I make apple crumble with plums I use:
Cooking Apples
Plums
Cinnamon
Oats – Regular porridge oats, or rolled oats are fine.
Plain Flour
Butter – Don’t be tempted to switch to margarine, which is much softer and will leave you with a very wet crumble mix.
Light Brown Soft Sugar – White caster sugar is okay too, but I love the flavour of light brown sugar with apples and plums.
What Apples Are Best for Crumble?
When I make any apple crumble recipe, I typically use large cooking apples, like Bramley.
But you can make crumble with any apples really. I find tarter varieties, like granny smiths, hold their flavour when cooked much better than sweet varieties do.
You can also use any plums for apple plum crumble, as long as they are ripe.
How to Make Apple and Plum Crumble – Step-by-Step
Crumbles are so easy to make. You can get full quantities and instructions in the card at the bottom of this post, as well as these step-by-step instructions.
Step One – Preparing the Crumble
I tend to prepare the crumble first and set it to one side until I need it.
I recommend taking your butter out of the fridge for at least an hour so that it’s not quite as hard.
Then, simply stir the oats, sugar and flour together in a large mixing bowl, and add the cubed butter.
Rub this together with your fingers, really squeezing to soften any harder lumps of butter, until it’s like fairly small breadcrumbs and leave to one side.
Step Two – Preparing the Fruit
Next, I prepare the fruit base.
Cooking the Apples
Peel, chop and core the apples.
Place in a large saucepan, with a teaspoon of cinnamon and a tablespoon of light brown soft sugar.
Stir well, and warm gently on the hob over medium heat for around 5 minutes. You can add a splash of water if they stick, but if your apples are fairly juicy, they won’t.
Tip these warm apples into a large heatproof baking dish.
How to Cut a Plum
I don’t peel plums when I make plum crumble, I just chop them and remove the stone.
To cut, use a sharp knife to cut in half, and twist.
Cut the half without the stone again.
Cut the half with a stone, twist another section off, and then flick the stone out. So each plum is in 1/4s.
Mixing the Fruit
Next, place the plums in with the apples. You can toss them all together, or just nestle the plums on top.
Step Three – Assembly
Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top of the fruit, as evenly as you can, taking care to make sure all of the fruit is well covered.
This recipe makes a fairly deep crumble layer.
If your dish isn’t deep enough, or you prefer a thinner layer, you can freeze leftover crumble in an airtight tub.
Step Four – Baking Apple and Plum Crumble
Bake your plum crumble with oats in a preheated oven (180 degrees C – fan assisted) for around 30 minutes.
It’s ready when the top is golden brown, and the fruit is bubbling underneath. You may see some fruit bubbling at the sides, or even be able to hear/feel it bubbling away.
Why Isn’t My Crumble Crunchy?
There are a few reasons you might not have a crunchy crumble topping:
- You used margarine, not butter.
- You didn’t rub in enough, so the butter wasn’t spread evenly.
- Not enough butter.
- You’ve rubbed too much, so the mixture is too fine.
- You’ve pressed the topping down, instead of just sprinkling on.
- There’s too much moisture in the base.
- It’s underbaked.
There’s a great post about the perfect crunchy crumble here.
Can You Reheat Cooked Crumble?
Yes, crumble reheats really well, and lasts for a few days.
How to Store a Fruit Crumble
Leave your crumble to cool, and then either cover or remove it to an airtight tub and keep it in the fridge.
Reheat for 15-20 minutes in a heatproof dish in the oven.
Can You Freeze Apple and Plum Crumble?
Yes, you can freeze fruit crumble.
Move into an airtight tub and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge before placing it in a heatproof dish and warming it in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
What to Serve with Apple and Plum Crumble
Whatever the weather, I serve my plum apple crumble with warm custard. I love custard!
Other great options include vanilla ice cream or cream. But I always think cream can make the plum crumble topping a little soggy. Custard doesn’t absorb like cream.
Apple and Plum Crumble
Ingredients
- 250 g Plain Flour
- 150 g Porridge Oats
- 150 g Light Brown Soft Sugar (+ 1 Tablespoon)
- 200 g Butter (at room temperature)
- 3 Large Apples (Peeled, cored, and chopped into 1-2cm chunks)
- 8 Ripe Plums (Cut into 1/4s, stone removed)
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (fan-assisted) and find a deep, heatproof cooking dish.
- Place the flour, sugar, and oats in a large mixing bowl and stir together.
- Cut the butter into cubes and add to this bowl. Use your fingers to rub to breadcrumbs.
- Set to one side.
- Place the apples in a large saucepan.
- Add a tablespoon of brown sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Warm over medium heat on the hob, stirring for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
- If the apples start to stick add a small splash of water.
- Tip these warmed apples into the baking dish.
- Nestle the plums on top (or mix in).
- Sprinkle over the crumble topping.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling.
Notes
- If your apples are very firm, it might take a little longer to soften them.
- Don’t warm the apples for that long that they start to break up, they just want to be slightly softer.
- This is a huge portion of the crumble topping. If you don’t like such a thick layer, or your baking dish isn’t deep enough, you can freeze leftovers in an airtight tub or bag.
- Read the post above for more tips and advice.
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
