Easy Apple Crumble Tart

Side view of apple crumble tart slices on white plate.

This apple crumble tart features a light, buttery crust filled with a spiced apple mixture, and topped with a nutty, crunchy crumb. This recipe uses an easy preparation method, and most of the work is done in the oven.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Polish, vegetarian

Prep Time 50

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 50

Servings slices

Calories 395kcal

Author Monika Dabrowski

Equipment

9 inch/23 cm removable bottom tart pan
Food processor

Ingredients

Crust

1½ cups all-purpose/plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅙ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons superfine/caster sugar
⅘ stick butter chilled, cubed
1 egg yolk
1½ tablespoons yogurt or sour cream

Apple filling

2 pounds apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Crumble top

½ cup all-purpose/plain flour
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ stick butter softened, cubed
4 tablespoons demerara sugar or light brown sugar
⅓ cup pecans coarsely chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare apples: Peel the apples and cut into quarters. Remove the core from each quarter and cut each piece into 2-3 slices. Place in a medium sized pot along with the lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar.
Cook apples: Stir then cover and cook over a medium heat for about 8 minutes or until the apples have released their juices. Stir the mixture gently occasionally. Remove the lid and continue cooking for about 4 more minutes stirring gently but frequently. The apples should be softened but still hold their shape.
Cool apples: Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely stirring gently once or twice.
TIP: If there is still juice in the apple mixture once it’s cooled add a tablespoon of fine breadcrumbs and stir in gently.
Make crust pastry: To the food processor add the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and butter. Pulse a few times until crumbly. Add the egg yolk and yogurt and pulse a few more times until the flour is no longer visible and the pastry begins to come together. Remove from the food processor and bring it all together to form a log (do not knead). The pastry will be soft and pliable. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
TIP: At this point preheat the oven to 425F/220C/200 fan/gas mark 7.
Make crumble topping: To the food processor add the flour, oats, demerara sugar and softened butter. Pulse until the mixture starts coming together. Add the pecans and pulse just to incorporate. Make sure there are no dry ingredients visible. Set aside.
Make crust: Remove the dough from the freezer and coarsely grate over the bottom of your tart pan. Using your fingers and knuckles press this mixture into the bottom and sides of the pan as thoroughly and evenly as you can (don’t worry, it doesn’t have to look perfect).
Add apple mixture: Fill the tart pan with the apple mixture (once cooled completely).
Add crumble top: Cover the apple layer with the crumble topping mixture as evenly as possible without pressing down too much.
Bake: Place the tart pan in the centre of the oven and lower the temperature to 375F/190C/gas mark 5. Bake for 1 hour. After 40-45 minutes cover the top and sides loosely with foil to prevent the tart becoming too brown.
TIP: It's a good idea to bake the tart on top of a baking sheet so you can safely remove it from the oven.
Cool: Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Yields 8 generous, or 9 smaller slices.

Notes

- Apples: Cook the apples as soon as you’ve peeled and chopped them (peeled apples brown quickly).
- Cool the apple mixture before assembling the cake.
- If your apple mixture still has some juice after it’s cooled gently stir in a tablespoon of fine breadcrumbs before assembling the tart.
- Pastry: The quickest way of making the crust pastry and crumble topping is by using a food processor, but you can also make these 2 components by hand.
- Do not knead the crust pastry. Rather bring the mixture together in a dough.
- Crumble topping: Make sure the ingredients are evenly coated in butter, so you don’t end up with a powdery crumb.
- Serving: For best results cool the tart completely before serving (it will cut better and won’t crumble as much).
- This crumble tart with apple is best served at room temperature within 2 days (but it will still be delicious for another 2 days or so). Once it's cooled cover loosely with tin foil to keep it moist. Refrigerate the next day.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition