I’m very excited. This is the awe-inspiring creation that was pudding tonight. I had some plain crumble mix leftover in the fridge that needed using (great tip by the way, always make too much crumble mix and then it’s ready to go for next time), so I bought a few seasonal Bramley apples to use with it. But I wanted to try something new. I had a tin of my favourite Devonshire custard in the cupboard (I may be an enthusiastic cook, but I’m not crazy enough to make my own custard!). I had an idea. Why not put the custard inside the crumble, thus eradicating the need to heat it up separately and pour it on. Also this creates one less item to wash.
What. The. Heck. Was I crazy?!
I ran the idea past Artie, my 4 year old, who thought it sublime. He now has a newfound respect for me, as the resulting pudding blew our minds! He was very complimentary, whilst he was hoovering a large bowl down and telling me I had created a masterpiece (except in 4 year old type words). He even came up with the fab name: Double fun apple and custard crumble! Double fun indeed my boy!
You could use whatever crumble topping you favour. I used a classic (flour/butter/white sugar) one here, but feel free to replace 1/4 of the flour with oats or whatever you fancy. If using oats, and making in a processor, whizz the flour and butter, add sugar, whizz and then stir (don’t whizz) the oats!
Serves: enough for 6 people
Prep time: 10 minutes (including the crumble making, which I had done ahead)
Cook time: 30-40 minutes
Total time: 40-50 minutes
Ingredients:
150g plain flour
50g butter (cold from fridge)
50g granulated sugar
Pinch salt
2 Bramley apples, peeled, sliced thin-ish (about 1cm)
Sprinkling of sugar
1 x 400g tin of custard
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- First make the crumble (double up and save half the mixture in the fridge, it’ll keep for about a week). The easiest way to do it is in a food processor. Simply roughly chop the butter and whizz with flour, then add sugar and a wee pinch of salt, and whizz again. Or make by hand: rub flour with cubed cold butter until crumb-like. Mix with sugar and pinch of salt.
- Simply slice the peeled apples into a medium baking dish. After one layer is in, sprinkle with sugar. Do another layer of apple and then sprinkle again.
- Tip the custard on and smooth over.
- Top with crumble mix. Bake for 30-40 minutes. The longer you bake, the softer the apple will be.
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Looks yummy, may have to try this, especially as we have heaps of apples. I saw a similar thing for apple pie with custard inside a whole apple in the Waitrose magazine this month. I'm a big fan of custard too, so having it included in a pud has to be a good thing in my view.
Fantastic idea. I love loads of custard though so I'd probably add some on top as well!
Hi Andrea! I genuinely thought I was being oh so original when I made this. Then after I posted it I googled 'apple and custard crumble' to check and saw that, drat, it had been done before! I still loved it though – my son eat the whole lot over 2 days!! Rachel x
Ha ha! Why not! I've rediscovered custard – tinned – recently. Can't get enough! Thanks for comment! Rachel x