#fernverrow

The classic British crumble is a national treasure of a pudding. In this recipe Bramley apples, with their fabulous snowy texture, are combined with lots of lemon zest to make a wonderfully tangy pudding. If you use a different variety of apple, perhaps a less sharp one such as James Grieve or Egremont Russet, you may prefer to omit the tablespoon of sugar. Serve with cream, custard or ice cream – or all three, if you wish!

serves 4 

500g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced 

1 tablespoon golden granulated sugar (or to taste) 

grated zest of 2 large lemons 

juice of 1 large lemon 

For the crumble topping 

50g whole hazelnuts 

75g plain flour 

100g ground almonds 

90g unsalted butter, cut into cubes 

65g golden granulated sugar

Heat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Spread the hazelnuts out on a baking tray and toast in the oven for about 15 minutes, checking them occasionally and giving them a shake to ensure they toast evenly. The skins will split and the nuts inside will be golden. Grind them in a food processor, leaving them slightly chunky. Alternatively, allow the nuts to cool a little, then place in a plastic bag, seal and give them a good bash with a rolling pin.

Put the flour and ground almonds in a mixing bowl, add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and hazelnuts.

Put the apples in a shallow 20cm ovenproof dish and scatter the sugar over them. Add the lemon zest and juice. Spoon the crumble over the apples and bake at 200°C/Gas Mark 6 for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and cook for a further 30 minutes, until the topping looks toasted and the apples are bubbling and juicy underneath.