These Stuffed Apples with Crumble Topping are a simple, quick and healthy dessert that still tastes indulgent. This easy crumble works well for guests or as a single-serving treat that won’t completely derail your diet. Without custard, each serving is about 212 calories. You can prepare the apples ahead of time and bake when ready, or assemble and bake straight away.
These stuffed apples also make a lovely weekend breakfast: top with a sprinkle of oats, swap the custard for yogurt, or go all out and serve with warm custard. I won’t tell.
I made this pud as a small treat that would have been best enjoyed at the dining table over a leisurely chat. Instead, Chris and I ended up leaning over the kitchen counter and gobbling them straight after taking the photos—one of the minor downsides of food blogging is eating lukewarm treats, so my excuse was speed!
To prepare the apples, carefully hollow them out with a sharp knife, leaving the base intact so each apple forms a little bowl. Aim for a cavity about 3.5–4 cm across so you can fit plenty of blueberries and still have room for the crumble topping. Once hollowed, brush the insides with lemon juice to prevent browning, which is especially helpful if you’re prepping ahead.
The filling is a simple mix of blueberries, a little sugar for sweetness and a pinch of cornstarch so the juices thicken during cooking. The crumble topping is made by rubbing cold butter into plain flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then stirring in sugar. If you like, fold in some oats or chopped nuts for extra texture.
I made homemade custard to serve with these, which is straightforward to prepare if you’ve never tried it before. If you prefer, you can use shop-bought custard, yogurt, or enjoy the apples on their own. Nutritional information is provided for the apples with and without custard.
Stuffed apples with crumble topping Recipe:
Stuffed Apples with Crumble Topping
Ingredients
Apples and filling:
- 4 eating apples (choose a sharp, rich variety such as Jazz or Braeburn)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 65 g blueberries (about 2.5 oz)
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 1/4 tsp cornstarch
Crumble topping:
- 25 g cold unsalted butter, cubed (about 0.9 oz)
- 50 g plain/all-purpose flour (about 1.8 oz)
- 25 g caster sugar (about 0.9 oz)
Homemade custard (optional):
- 200 ml double/heavy cream (you can substitute whole milk to lighten)
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- a couple of drops vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
- Hollow out each apple, leaving the base intact so the apple holds the filling. Brush the insides with lemon juice to prevent browning. In a small bowl, combine blueberries, sugar and cornstarch, then spoon the mixture into each apple. It’s fine if some berries stick out; they’ll soften and sink while baking.
- Make the crumble topping: rub the flour into the cold butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, leaving a few larger crumbs for texture. Stir in the sugar and spoon the crumble over the filled apples. Any extra crumble can be baked on a tray for extra topping or frozen for later.
- Place the apples on a baking tray and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the crumble is golden brown and the apples are tender.
- While the apples bake, make the custard: heat the cream until just scalding (do not boil). In a jug, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla. Gradually pour the hot cream into the egg mixture in a thin stream while whisking continuously to temper the eggs. Return the mix to a clean pan and cook over medium heat, whisking, until the custard thickens. If it becomes too thick, loosen with a splash more cream. Remove from heat.
- Warm the custard again just before serving if needed. Serve each stuffed apple with a good spoonful of custard, or enjoy plain or with yogurt.
Notes
Nutritional information is per serving.
Nutrition
Serving size: 145 g | Calories: 212 kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.3 g | Protein: 1.5 g | Fat: 5.3 g | Saturated fat: 3.2 g | Cholesterol: 13 mg | Sodium: 37 mg | Fiber: 5.7 g | Sugar: 25.9 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Nutritional info obtained from caloriecount.about.com – per serving without custard.