Spiced Apple Crumble with Oat-Brown Butter Topping

• 6 large granny smith applesabout 900g total
• 1 lemonjuiced
• 50 g light brown sugarfor the filling
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• 8 g cornstarch
• 115 g unsalted butterdivided: 15g for filling, 100g for topping
• 120 g plain flour
• 60 g rolled oats
• 75 g demerara sugarfor the topping
• ½ tsp fine sea salt

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Cut 100g of butter into small cubes and melt it in the skillet over medium heat. Keep cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter smells nutty and the milk solids at the bottom turn amber — about 4-5 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes while you prep the apples.

   Tip: Brown butter goes from perfect to burnt quickly. Once you see amber flecks at the bottom and it smells like toasted hazelnuts, pull it off the heat immediately.

2. 2

   Peel, core, and cut the apples into roughly 2cm chunks. Toss them in the baking dish with the lemon juice, 50g light brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and cornstarch. Mix until the apples are evenly coated. Dot the remaining 15g of butter in small pieces over the top of the apples.

3. 3

   In the large mixing bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, demerara sugar, and salt. Pour in the cooled brown butter and mix with a fork or your fingers until you get a rough, clumpy texture — some sandy bits, some pea-sized clusters. That mix of textures is what gives you the best crunch.

   Tip: Don't overmix — you want chunky, uneven clusters. If the butter was too warm and it looks greasy, pop the bowl in the fridge for 2 minutes.

4. 4

   Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the apples, making sure to get some into the corners. Don't pack it down — keep it loose and craggy for maximum crunch.

5. 5

   Bake on the middle rack for 28-32 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and you can see the apple juices bubbling up around the edges. The filling should be thick and syrupy, not watery.

   Tip: If the topping is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

6. 6

   Let the crumble rest for 10 minutes before digging in — the filling thickens as it sits and you'll avoid scorching your mouth. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat at 175°C (350°F) for 10-12 minutes to re-crisp the topping.

• skillet (25cm (10-inch))
• baking dish (20x28cm (8x11 inch))
• mixing bowl (large)
• cutting board
• knife
• vegetable peeler

Per serving

Nutritional values are estimates only.