Anna Louise Apple crumble alone is a wonderful dessert. Rhubarb crumble alone is a wonderful dessert. Apple and rhubarb crumble together is better than either.
The tartness of the rhubarb sharpens the apple, the sweetness of the apple tempers the rhubarb, and the two together give a filling that is more complex and more interesting than either would be on its own.
The filling needs a little more sugar than a plain apple crumble because of the rhubarb’s assertive tartness — but not as much as a plain rhubarb crumble because the apple contributes its own natural sweetness.
The balance is important and this recipe is calibrated to give a filling that is sharp, sweet, and deeply flavoured without being either cloying or bracingly sour.
The crumble topping uses a mixture of plain flour, cold butter, oats, demerara sugar, and ground ginger. The oats give a slightly more textured, slightly more interesting crumble than plain flour alone. The demerara gives crunch. The ginger gives warmth.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Apple and Rhubarb Crumble
For the Fruit Filling
- 500g Bramley apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 2cm chunks
- 500g fresh rhubarb, cut into 3cm lengths — washed and dried
- 150g golden caster sugar — adjust to taste depending on rhubarb tartness
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Zest of ½ unwaxed orange
- 2 tbsp cornflour — tossed through the fruit to thicken the juices during baking
For the Crumble Topping
- 200g plain flour
- 100g rolled oats
- 175g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 125g demerara sugar
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of fine salt
To Serve
- Proper custard — the only acceptable accompaniment
- Clotted cream or vanilla ice cream as alternatives
How to Make Mary Berry Apple and Rhubarb Crumble
Step 1 — Prepare the Fruit Filling
Preheat your oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / Gas 5. Lightly butter a deep 28x20cm ovenproof dish.
Place the apple chunks and rhubarb lengths in a large bowl. Add the golden caster sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, orange zest, and cornflour. Toss everything together until the fruit is evenly coated. Taste a piece of rhubarb — if it seems very sharp, add an extra tablespoon of sugar. Rhubarb varies significantly in tartness.
Tip the seasoned fruit into the prepared dish. Spread evenly.
Step 2 — Make the Crumble Topping
Place the flour, rolled oats, salt, ground ginger, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the cold cubed butter. Rub the butter into the flour and oats with your fingertips — lifting and rubbing quickly to keep the mixture cool — until the mixture resembles rough, uneven breadcrumbs. Some larger, pea-sized pieces of butter remaining are good — they give a more interesting, more textured crumble with slightly crunchier pockets.
Do not overwork the crumble — the texture should be rough and uneven, not fine and smooth.
Add the demerara sugar and stir through with a fork.
Step 3 — Top and Bake
Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the fruit — do not press it down. The crumble should sit lightly on the fruit and not be compacted. Pressing gives a dense, slightly doughy topping rather than a light, crispy one.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the crumble topping is deep golden and the fruit filling is bubbling vigorously around the edges and through any gaps in the topping.
Step 4 — Rest and Serve
Leave to stand for five minutes — the bubbling fruit settles and the crumble firms slightly. Serve warm with custard, clotted cream, or vanilla ice cream.
My Top Tips For Perfect Apple and Rhubarb Crumble
Use Bramley apples — not eating apples. Bramleys collapse into the filling during baking and meld with the rhubarb to give a soft, unified filling. Eating apples hold their shape and give distinct apple pieces — pleasant but not what this crumble needs. Bramleys give the right result.
The cornflour is important. Apple and rhubarb together release a significant amount of juice during baking. Without the cornflour to thicken those juices, the filling is watery and the crumble topping becomes soggy from the liquid rising through it. Two tablespoons of cornflour tossed through the fruit gives a thickened, glossy filling.
Leave some butter pieces larger in the crumble. A few pea-sized pieces of butter in the crumble mixture give pockets that melt during baking and create slightly more golden, slightly more buttery patches throughout the topping. Rubbing the butter completely to fine crumbs gives a more uniform but less interesting result.
Do not press the crumble down. Scattering it loosely over the fruit and letting it sit naturally gives the lightest, crispiest topping. Pressing compacts the crumble and it bakes dense and slightly doughy.
Wait for the filling to bubble before removing from the oven. The fruit must be bubbling vigorously at the edges before the crumble comes out. Bubbling means the cornflour has activated and the filling has thickened. Remove too early and the filling is watery.
Serving Suggestions
With proper custard — the only truly correct accompaniment to an apple and rhubarb crumble. With clotted cream for something richer. With vanilla ice cream for something colder. Never without one of the three.
How to Store
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180°C oven for fifteen minutes — the crumble regains most of its crispness.
In the freezer: Freeze assembled before baking for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 190°C for 55 to 60 minutes until golden and the filling is bubbling.
Mary Berry Apple and Rhubarb Crumble Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / Gas 5. Butter a deep 28x20cm ovenproof dish.
- Toss apple, rhubarb, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, orange zest, and cornflour together until evenly coated. Taste and adjust sugar. Tip into dish — spread evenly.
- Rub cold butter into flour, oats, salt, ginger, and cinnamon with fingertips — rough, uneven crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Add demerara — stir through with a fork.
- Scatter crumble loosely over the fruit — do not press down.
- Bake 35–40 minutes until topping is deep golden and filling is bubbling vigorously at the edges. Rest 5 minutes. Serve warm with custard.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen rhubarb?
Yes — defrost completely and drain very thoroughly before using. Frozen rhubarb releases more liquid than fresh. Add an extra tablespoon of cornflour to compensate.
Can I make the crumble topping ahead?
Yes — make the crumble topping up to 3 days ahead and store in a covered container in the fridge. Scatter over the fruit directly from cold — the cold topping gives slightly better results than room temperature crumble.
Can I add almonds to the crumble?
Yes — 50g of flaked almonds scattered over the top of the crumble before baking toast beautifully and give an excellent crunch and a gentle nutty flavour that suits both apple and rhubarb.
Can I add strawberries to the filling?
Yes — 200g of halved strawberries added with the apple and rhubarb give extra sweetness and a beautiful colour in the filling. Add with the fruit and reduce the sugar slightly.
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