No sugar in the filling at all. Six cups of diced apple, cornstarch and spices, and that is the whole thing under the streusel.
The topping carries two tablespoons of maple syrup and a tablespoon and a half of butter across nine servings, which is a fraction of what a standard crumble uses. It still tastes like a crumble.
Chill it three hours before serving
This is the instruction people ignore and it is the one that decides whether the crumble works.
Apples release a great deal of liquid while they bake. The cornstarch is there to thicken it, but cornstarch needs to cool to set properly. Served warm straight from the oven, the filling is soupy and runs across the plate.
Cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate at least three hours. The juices firm up into something that holds its shape when you spoon it out.
If you want it warm, reheat individual portions after that chill. That gets you both.
Chop the apples small
About the size of blueberries, which is smaller than most crumble recipes ask for.
Small dice bakes evenly and softens completely in the time given. Large chunks stay firm in the middle while the edges of the dish overcook, and you end up with a crumble that has both mushy and crunchy apple in the same spoonful.
It takes longer to prep and it is the difference between a good crumble and an uneven one.
Skin on or off is your call. Left on it adds texture and a little colour, and it does not toughen at these sizes.
Break the streusel into tiny pieces
The topping clumps badly after mixing, and the instruction is to break it into pieces about the size of miniature chocolate chips.
There is not much streusel here relative to the pan. Broken small it spreads into a thin even layer that covers all six cups of apple. Left in clumps, you get bare patches of apple next to lumps of topping.
No larger than a pea is the upper limit given, and it is worth respecting.
If you would rather have a thicker topping, or you do not want to spend the time crumbling, simply double the streusel. It does not change the baking time or temperature at all.
Measure the oats and flour carefully
The source is emphatic about this and the reason is specific to oats.
Oats act like sponges. Too much and they soak up all the maple syrup and butter, and the streusel comes out dry and powdery rather than clumping into crumbs.
Spoon the oats and flour into the measuring cup and level them off rather than scooping from the bag, which packs them. A kitchen scale removes the problem entirely: 75g oats and 30g flour.
Cornstarch is the only thickener
Two tablespoons tossed through the apples with the spices before anything else happens.
Tossing it dry with the fruit coats every piece evenly. Added to the pan afterwards it would clump and leave streaks.
Six cups of apple releases a lot of juice, and two tablespoons is calibrated for that volume. It is also why the chill matters, since cornstarch thickens as it cools rather than as it heats.
Fifty to sixty minutes at 350F
Until the apples are fork tender.
Test through the middle of the dish rather than the edge. The centre is the last part to soften, and the small dice means it should give with almost no resistance when it is ready.
An eight inch square pan, sprayed with nonstick spray.
Which apples
Fuji is the recommendation, with Gala and Braeburn as alternatives. All three are sweet and hold their shape reasonably.
Because there is no sweetener in the filling, the apples are carrying that entirely. That is why a sweet variety matters more here than in a crumble with half a cup of sugar in it.
For a tarter result, swap up to two cups of the six for Granny Smith. More than that and the whole thing goes sour, since there is nothing else to balance it.
Keeping it
Covered with foil or in an airtight container in the refrigerator, four days and often closer to a week. <p>It is meant to live in the fridge rather than on the counter, given the chill step is part of the recipe. ## Substitutions that work Instant or quick-cooking oats replace the rolled oats directly. Steel cut oats do not; they never soften.
Whole wheat pastry flour, white whole wheat, all-purpose or oat flour all work in place of the whole wheat flour. Honey or agave substitute for the maple syrup.
Vegan and gluten free
For vegan, use stick-style vegan butter, which gives the best result. Coconut oil works with a slightly different texture.
For gluten free, use certified gluten free oats and any gluten free flour except coconut flour, which absorbs too much and dries the topping out. Millet, almond and oat flours all work well.
Healthy Apple Crumble
Description
A lighter apple crumble with an unsweetened spiced filling and a small oat streusel topping made with maple syrup.
Ingredients:
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350F and coat an 8 inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
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To prepare the streusel, whisk together the oats flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Make a well in the centre, pour in the maple syrup and melted butter and stir until fully incorporated.
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To prepare the filling, toss the diced apples with the cornstarch cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl until completely coated.
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Transfer the filling to the prepared pan and gently press down with a spatula. Break the streusel into small pieces about the size of miniature chocolate chips and sprinkle evenly over the apples.
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Bake at 350F for 50 to 60 minutes, until the apples are fork tender in the centre of the dish.
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Cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving so the juices fully thicken..
Note
Cool completely to room temperature then refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving; cornstarch thickens as it cools and the filling is soupy if served warm from the oven. Reheat individual portions after chilling if you want it warm. Chop the apples to about the size of blueberries so they bake evenly. Break the streusel into pieces no larger than a pea so it covers the apples in a thin layer, or simply double the streusel with no other changes. Measure the oats and flour by weight if possible, 75g and 30g; too much dries the topping out. Keeps 4 days to a week refrigerated.
