Mary Berry Blackberry and Apple Crumble with Pie Crust
Blackberry and Apple Crumble is a classic British dessert known for its warm, comforting flavors. Mary Berry has created her own version called the Winter Crumble Tart. This delightful combination of a crumble and a tart combines juicy blackberries and apples with a crunchy crumble topping, making it the perfect treat for the colder months.
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 1 ¾ cups 225 grams /8 ounces plain flour
- Butter ½ cup 125 grams /4½ ounces butter, chilled
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 1 large free-range egg beaten
For the filling:
- 4 large Bramley green apples about 1.2 kg /2 lb, peeled, cored, and cut into small chunks
- ¾ cup 150 grams /5½ ounces caster sugar
- 2 cups (275 grams /10 ounces fresh blackberries
For the crumble topping:
- 1 ¼ cups 175 grams/ 6 ounces plain flour
- 100 grams 3½ ounces butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup 50 grams/1¾ ounces rolled oats
- ½ cup 100 grams /3½ ounces demerara sugar
- ½ cup 50 grams/1¾ ounces hazelnuts, roasted and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan
For the pastry
- Tip: Omit this step if you're doing an apple and blackberry crumble without the pie crust
- Mix the flour and butter using either a food processor or by rubbing the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl using your fingertips.
- Add the sugar, beaten egg, and 1-2 tablespoons of cold water to the flour mixture. Mix until the dough comes together smoothly.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a 3mm thick circle, large enough to line the tart tin.
- Place the pastry on the baking tin, pressing gently the base and sides of the tin and cutting off any excess pastry.
- Prick the base with a fork.
- Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Line the chilled pastry case with baking paper and baking beans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the pastry's lip turns light golden brown.
- Remove the baking beans and paper, then reduce the oven temperature to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3 and
- Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes until the pastry case is crisp and golden brown all over.
- Allow the pastry case to cool in the tin, leaving the oven on.
For the filling
- Combine the apples, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water in a large, deep, lidded saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring gently, for 4-5 minutes.
- Cover the pan with the lid and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Simmer, without stirring, for 5-10 minutes until the apples have softened but retained their shape.
- Stir in the blackberries and continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes until all the fruit is tender.
- Set aside to cool.
For the crumble topping
- Rub together the flour and butter in a large bowl using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the remaining crumble topping ingredients and rub them into the mixture until small clumps form. Alternatively, pulse all the crumble topping ingredients in a food processor.
- Set aside the crumble topping.
For assembling the crumble tart
- Strain the cooked fruits using a colander remembering to collect the juices in a bowl.
- Spoon the cooked fruits into the pastry case. Reserve any excess fruit together with the fruit juices.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit filling.
- Bake the tart at 200C/180C Fan for 20-25 minutes, or until the crumble turns crisp and golden-brown.
- Boil the reserved fruit juice in a saucepan for 3-4 minutes, or until it thickens to syrup.
- Serve the tart warm in slices, with the extra fruit juice spooned over it, and accompany it with custard or cream on the side.
Notes
To prepare in advance, you can prepare and cook the entire tart up to one day at room temperature. Keep the finished tart in a lidded container or cover it with foil for storage.
To serve, simply reheat the cooked tart after wrapping it in foil.
To freeze the tart, wrap the cooked tart in foil and thaw it at room temperature when needed. The uncooked pastry and crumble can be frozen separately and freeze well.