Delia Smith Blackberry and Apple Crumble Recipe

Delia Smith’s blackberry and apple crumble is her favourite autumn version of the classic. She uses half Bramley apples and half blackberries under the same demerara crumble topping, and it bakes at 200°C (400°F) for 35 to 40 minutes. The blackberries burst into dark purple pockets that run through the soft apple filling.

I make this apple and blackberry crumble every September when the hedgerows are full of free fruit. Delia says it in her Best Ever Apple Crumble notes: “in autumn I use half blackberries and half apples.” That one sentence is the whole recipe. Same topping, different fruit.

More Crumble Recipes:

• Apple Crumble
• Rhubarb Crumble
• Crumble Topping

Why Blackberries Change Everything

Bramleys on their own collapse into a fluffy, sharp base. Add blackberries and two things happen: the juice turns the filling a deep purple that looks spectacular when it bubbles up through the golden crust, and the berries add a tartness that is different from apple sharpness. It is fruitier and wilder.

The other reason I prefer this apple and blackberry crumble in autumn is the texture, because the blackberries hold their shape while the apples do not, so you get soft apple snow with whole berries running through it. so it looks like you put in more effort than you actually did.

Blackberry and Apple Crumble Ingredients

For the filling:

• 450g (1 lb) Bramley cooking apples, peeled, cored, and thickly sliced
• 450g (1 lb) blackberries, washed
• 75g (3 oz) granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon water

For the crumble topping:

• 175g (6 oz) plain flour (all-purpose flour), sifted
• 110g (4 oz) cold butter, cut into small cubes
• 75g (3 oz) demerara sugar

How To Make Delia Smith Blackberry and Apple Crumble

1. Heat the oven: Set it to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6).
2. Prepare the fruit: Peel, quarter, and core the Bramleys, then cut into thick slices. Toss the apple slices with the sugar, ground cloves, and water in a shallow ovenproof dish. Scatter the blackberries over the top.
3. Rub the topping: Sift the flour into a bowl, add the cold butter, and rub with your fingertips until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the demerara sugar without rubbing it in.
4. Top the fruit: Sprinkle the crumble loosely over the fruit, spread to the edges, and do not press down.
5. Bake: Place on a baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden and the dark purple juice is bubbling around the edges.

Do the Blackberries Go In Raw?

Yes, blackberries soften quickly in the oven and do not need pre-cooking, so scatter them over the apples raw and the heat does the rest. If you cook them first they turn to mush and disappear into the apple, which defeats the point of this apple blackberry crumble having whole berries throughout.

I layer them on top of the apple slices rather than mixing them through. That way the blackberries sit just under the crumble and keep some of their shape. If you stir everything together the juice makes the base too wet and the topping can sink in the middle.

When Is It Ready?

You will know before you open the oven. The blackberry juice turns dark purple and starts bubbling up around the edges of the crust. The topping should be deep golden, not pale. If the top is brown but the edges are not bubbling, give it another five minutes.

Let it rest for ten minutes before serving. The juice thickens as it cools slightly, and you avoid burning your mouth on molten blackberry. Warm custard is the best match because the cream calms the sharpness of the berries. The raspberry trifle uses a similar berry-and-cream balance if you want something cold instead.

Picking and Storing

Wild blackberries from hedgerows are free and taste better than shop-bought. Pick them in September before the first frost, which turns them soft and flavourless. I freeze whatever I do not use immediately in a single layer on a baking tray, then bag them once solid.

Leftover crumble keeps in the fridge for 3 days covered with foil, and reheats best at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes. You can also freeze the whole thing unbaked for up to 3 months and bake from frozen with an extra 15 minutes in the oven.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 340 kcal
• Fat: 15g
• Carbohydrates: 50g
• Fibre: 5g
• Protein: 3g

Nutrition is estimated per serving based on 6 servings.

FAQs

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