This Mary Berry Apple and Pear Crumble is a classic and comforting recipe, which is made with sweet pears and tart cooking apples. It’s a foolproof recipe, perfect for a cozy family dessert, especially in the autumn.
Mary Berry Apple and Pear Crumble Ingredients
For the Fruit Filling:
- 500g (1lb 2oz) cooking apples, such as Bramley
- 400g (14oz) ripe pears
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
For the Crumble Topping:
- 125g (4½oz) plain flour
- 100g (3½oz) cold butter, cubed
- 75g (3oz) demerara sugar
- 75g (2½oz) chopped nuts (optional, like walnuts or pecans)
How To Make Mary Berry’s Apple and Pear Crumble
- Prep the oven and fruit: Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas 6. Peel, core, and roughly chop the apples and pears. Place them in a 1.5-litre (2½ pint) shallow ovenproof dish.
- Prepare the filling: Drizzle the honey over the fruit and sprinkle with the ground cinnamon. Toss everything together until the fruit is evenly coated.
- Make the crumble topping: In a large bowl, place the flour and the cold, cubed butter. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add sugar and nuts: Stir the demerara sugar and the optional chopped nuts into the flour and butter mixture.
- Assemble and bake: Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit in the dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling up around the edges.
- Serve: Let the crumble stand for a few minutes before serving it warm.
Recipe Tips
- How to get the perfect crumble topping? The secret is to use cold butter and not to overwork the mixture. Rub the butter in with your fingertips only until it resembles breadcrumbs. This ensures a light and crumbly texture, not a dense paste.
- What are the best apples for a crumble? Cooking apples, like Bramley apples, are ideal because they break down into a soft, fluffy puree that perfectly complements the firmer pears.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Yes. You can assemble the entire crumble and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a day before baking. You can also freeze the unbaked crumble. Bake from chilled or frozen, adding 10-15 minutes to the baking time if cooking from frozen.
- Can I use a different sweetener? If you don’t have honey, you can toss the fruit with 2-3 tablespoons of light muscovado or brown sugar instead.
What To Serve With Apple and Pear Crumble
This classic British dessert is the ultimate comfort food and is traditionally served with something creamy and warm or cold.
- A generous pouring of hot custard
- A scoop of good-quality vanilla bean ice cream
- A dollop of clotted cream or a drizzle of heavy cream
- A spoonful of crème fraîche
How To Store Apple and Pear Crumble
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes to help re-crisp the topping.
- Freeze: The unbaked crumble freezes very well for up to 3 months. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and then foil.
Apple and Pear Crumble Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Fat: 24g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Protein: 5g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
This can happen if the butter was too soft or if the mixture was overworked, creating a paste rather than a crumble. Use cold butter and a light touch.
Pears and apples can release a lot of juice. If you find the filling too watery, you can toss the fruit with a tablespoon of cornflour along with the honey and cinnamon before adding the crumble topping. This will help to thicken the juices as it bakes.
Yes, for extra texture and a nuttier flavor, you can replace about 50g of the flour with an equal amount of rolled oats.
Try More Recipes:
- Mary Berry Apple Crumble Tart Recipe
- Mary Berry Apple Cinnamon Crumble Recipe
- Mary Berry Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake Recipe
Mary Berry Apple and Pear Crumble Recipe
Description
The ultimate classic comfort food dessert, featuring sweet pears and tart apples baked under a simple, buttery, and crunchy crumble topping.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C Fan.
- In a large ovenproof dish, toss the chopped apples, pears, honey, and cinnamon together.
- For the topping, rub the cold, cubed butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the demerara sugar and optional nuts.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Serve hot with custard, cream, or ice cream.
Notes
- Using cold butter for the crumble is the key to a light, crumbly texture.
- A mix of cooking apples and ripe pears gives the perfect balance of soft and firm textures.
- This is a fantastic make-ahead dessert that can be assembled in advance and baked just before serving.
- For an extra-special touch, add a pinch of ground ginger or mixed spice to the crumble mix.
