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Jamie Oliver Apple Crumble

Jamie Oliver apple crumble with a buttery, sandy crumble topping and a bubbling apple-and-pear filling. Baked until deeply golden, then served with custard or pouring cream.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fruit filling
  • 4 large apples
  • 2 ripe pears
  • 50 g unsalted butter
  • 50 g granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp mixed spice or allspice
  • 1 lemon zest
Crumble topping
  • 200 g plain all-purpose flour
  • 100 g cold unsalted butter cubed
  • 75 g demerara or raw sugar packed
  • 50 g light brown sugar
  • 50 g ground almonds
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
To serve
  • 1 custard or pouring cream homemade custard or pouring cream

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prep fruit filling
  1. Preheat the oven to 190C (375F) and set out a baking dish for the crumble. The oven should be fully hot before baking so the topping turns crisp and golden.
  2. Melt the butter in a large ovenproof pan, then add apples, pears, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, mixed spice, and lemon zest. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the fruit is slightly softened and glossy.
  3. Transfer the cooked fruit mixture to the baking dish in an even layer. Spread it out so the edges are ready to bubble during baking.
Make the crumble topping
  1. Put flour and cold cubed butter into a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until it looks like rough breadcrumbs. Keep the mixture crumbly so the topping stays crisp in the oven.
  2. Stir in both sugars, ground almonds, and cinnamon, mixing briefly until the crumbs are evenly colored. Pause once the dry ingredients look fully combined.
  3. Spread the crumble over the fruit without packing it down. Leave it light so it bakes into a sandy, crisp top layer.
Bake and serve
  1. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 190C (375F) until the top is golden and the fruit bubbles at the edges. Look for a crisp, caramelized surface and active bubbling in the corners.
  2. Let the crumble rest briefly, then serve warm with homemade custard or pouring cream. Spoon the custard over slices so it soaks into the hot fruit and crumb.

Notes

For the best crumble texture, ensure the butter is truly cold when you rub it into the flour, and don’t press the topping down—keep it airy. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 180C for 10-15 minutes to re-crisp. Freezing is not recommended for the finished crumble, but you can freeze the topping crumbs separately. For a dairy-light swap, use a plant-based butter stick in both the fruit and crumble (use butter-style, not spread).