Fruit crumble, or fruits under a crunchy topping, is a delicious and healthy twist on traditional baked desserts. This simple recipe for baked fruits will not only delight your taste buds but also provide healthy energy – perfect for active individuals! My version features a buttery, crispy topping made with oat flour and erythritol, retaining its full flavour while lowering the calorie count. Baked apples and raspberries create the perfect base, but you can freely use virtually any fruits you love, such as rhubarb, gooseberries, strawberries, wild strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries. This dessert allows you to bake fruits in line with the season, tailoring the flavour to your preferences. A classic crumble recipe with a healthier twist proves you can enjoy an exceptional taste without guilt. Try it and see how little it takes to combine extraordinary taste with a focus on your health! 😊

Author: MSc Klaudia Buczek, Food Technologist and Dietitian

Preparation Time:

60 minutes

Ingredients:

  • Apple – 70 g (½ medium apple)
  • Raspberries (or other fresh or frozen fruits) – 60 g (1 handful)
  • Oat flour – 20 g (2 tablespoons)
  • Clarified butter – 14 g (2 teaspoons)
  • Erythritol – 15 g (3 teaspoons)
  • Coconut flakes– 3 g (1 teaspoon)

How to Prepare Crumble?

  1. Preparing the Fruits
    Cut the apple into smaller pieces and place it together with the raspberries in a ramekin lined with baking paper. You can also use fresh fruits like pears, blackberries, or rhubarb for variety. Frozen fruits work well off-season too.

  1. Making the Crumble
    To prepare the crumble topping, mix oat flour, cold clarified butter, and erythritol in a bowl. Knead the ingredients with your fingers until you achieve a classic crumbly texture. You can also add oats to enhance the flavor and add an extra crunch to the dessert.

  1. Topping the Fruits
    Evenly sprinkle the crumble over the prepared fruits. Add coconut flakes on top for extra aroma. To ensure a perfectly crisp and golden topping, sprinkle the crumble over the fruits just before baking!

  1. Baking Under the Crispy Crumble 😊
    Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) for about 40 minutes until the crumble is golden brown, and the fruits are soft and slightly caramelized.

Nutritional Values

  • For the whole recipe (1 serving = the entire dessert): Calories: 296,6 kcal, Protein: 4 g, Fats: 18,4 g, Carbohydrates: 31 g
  • Na 100 g: Calories: 162,9 kcal, Protein: 2,2 g, Fats: 10,1 g, Carbohydrates: 17 g

Tips for a Perfectly Crispy Crumble

The perfect crumble topping is the base of every crumble dessert. It consists of three main ingredients: flour, sugar, and fat. When kept in the right proportions, these ingredients ensure the topping is crisp, crumbly, and delicately sweet. To make the perfect crumble topping for your dessert, remember these key rules:

  • Use Cold Fat: Butter or clarified butter should be well-chilled. Cold fat creates small air pockets in the topping during baking, making it delightfully crisp.
  • Don’t Overmix: Knead the ingredients quickly and gently—overworking the mixture results in a tougher, less crumbly texture.
  • Replace Some Flour with Add-Ins: Add oats, almonds, or crumbled biscuits to enrich the flavor and increase the crunchiness of the topping.
  • Add a Pinch of Salt: A small amount of salt subtly highlights the sweetness of the sugar and pairs perfectly with the tangy fruits.
  • Experiment with Proportions: The classic ratio for crumble is 2 parts flour, 1 part sugar, and 1 part fat. Adjust it to your taste—more butter makes it richer, while more flour gives a lighter, more delicate texture.

Add vanilla, cinnamon, or coconut flakes to give your crumble an extraordinary flavor—they make an excellent addition to any dessert. If you’re looking for a healthier alternative, consider making the crumble with whole-grain flour, cinnamon, and almonds. This combination is equally delicious and creates a perfectly crunchy topping for your crumble.

Baking at 180°C (356°F) is essential for a golden and crispy crumble. Following these guidelines will ensure your crumble is easy to prepare, with a delightful texture and exceptional flavor.

Applying these tips will make preparing crumble a simple and rewarding task, while your delicious dessert achieves the perfect texture and exceptional flavor.

What to hide under the crumble?

You can bake any fruits, but for the best balance of flavors, tart options like gooseberries, pears, strawberries, peaches, currants, or apricots work best. Forest fruits – such as wild strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, or bilberries – are also an excellent choice, adding a bold aroma and perfectly aligning with seasonal inspirations.

If you enjoy experimenting, feel free to bake any fruits to suit your taste. To enhance the dessert’s flavor depth, try adding a pinch of cinnamon, almond flakes, or even an extra serving of forest fruits to the crumble – they will perfectly complement the buttery crunchiness of the topping.

How to serve fruits under the crumble?

Crumble desserts taste best when served warm, with a crispy topping fresh out of the oven. They’re also great when served cold, making them an ideal treat for hot summer days. Pair them with natural yogurt, skyr, a dollop of whipped cream, or opt for the classic choice of vanilla ice cream.

Fruits under the crumble in this version offer a simple way to enjoy a delicious dessert that’s both healthier and perfectly suited for those mindful of their figure.

Happy baking! 😉