On Friday night there is to be a birthday dinner for the birthday siblings. In New Zealand. In the summer. Too far for Mama to catch a cab from the U.S. prairies. Sadly. Senior Son has been working on creating a Mama Meal from The Kitchen’s Garden Pages. Then it was discovered, with eyes rolling in horror, that I have not posted the Apple Crumble and an emergency call was put through.
So very quickly yesterday afternoon, I gathered the last of the apples, made the crumble, and wrote down the recipe. This is harder to do than you think, when you have made the crumble your entire life by just heaving it all together and stirring. Now if you are invited to the dinner on Friday – close your eyes.
The Crumble
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 big tablespoon bran
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 4 oz cold butter
- zest of half a lemon
Grate the very cold butter into the dry ingredients, (grate and stir, grate and stir, etc) zest the lemon in and mix with your fingers until it is crumbly. It needs to look like chunky breadcrumbs.
Grease your widemouthed jars (this will work in a baking dish just as well). Pack with sliced Granny Smith Apples (or any other tart apples) until the jars are about two thirds full. Do not add sugar to your apples, leave the tart taste alone. Top with about 1/2 inch of the crumble. Sit your jars on a baking sheet in the oven for 45 minutes at 350F.. (about 160C I think.) Be careful when you take them out of the oven. They are hot and awkward. Don’t serve too hot. 
I made these as individual servings in wide-mouthed Bell canning jars (Agee bottling jars in NZ) . The pictures are of UnDressed Only-Just-Cooked Apple Crumble as I did not want to lose the light for a photo. These can be made ahead of time, (to the above stage) then warmed on low. Just before serving, create layers of colour in the jar. Maybe you could add a thin layer of whole blueberries or raspberries, then a small ball of icecream and a wee curl of lemon. Your sister will help with this. Jab a shiny spoon into the dessert and serve quickly so that the crumble stays crispy.
I hope you can find the pint sized wide mouthed jars! If not you can make these in individual ramekins.
If you have a few desserts left over, screw the lids onto the jars, pop in the fridge and take them for a pernick-nick (home talk for picnic) down at the beach on the weekend. Apple crumble is just as good cold!
Can you see Mary’s Cat lurking in the back of this shot? He is thrilled that I am taking photographs of food outside again!
Today we are forecast to reach 50F. All the baby plants have been watered gently with the hand rose in the shower, and are waiting to go outside as soon as it hits 40F. Hopefully we do not get too much wind. The big doors have been opened in the chook house, as well as the barn, so everyone is feeling springy and the chooks are laying like mad with all that extra light! Maybe I should make a pavlova and have a birthday celebration too!
Dawn has come. Good morning!
celi
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
82 responses to “Undressed Apple Crumble in a Jar”
Yummy. I put ginger in my crumbles, as well as oatmeal. Last time something went wrong and we were breaking teeth on it! Mine are made in a big dish – 3 at a time, with two frozen. My energy level runs out often, so it’s good not to have to cook always. I do this with most dishes, sweet and savoury, or I make a huge batch of sauce eg pepper sauce, and freeze it in small containers.
I agree with making bigger batches and freezing, i do that all the time, mainly because i find it almost impossible to cook for TWO! after years and years of cooking for a big family.. Morning viv!
I adore dessert in jars! And it’s so fitting for a homey, delicious dessert like crumble. These look beautiful, C.
Thank you ksenia, it is lovely simple food and I have one in the fridge for later!! c
That’s very smart of you:)
Ditto on how great the jars are! Yummy feast for eyes and tummy!
These are wonderful! They look delicious and what a fun way to serve dessert. A great idea for a summer barbecue too. Love this!
Very summery! true and easy to eat sitting on a sunny step! c
Where would we be without the internet? I love the presentation of these crumbles. So bittersweet that you are with and without your kids at once. I’m taking notes…
Yup, they all grow up and off they go. Mine are scattered all over the world really! and it is bittersweet, they are healthy, happy and paying their own bills, just not close to me, I have to do one world trip once a year to visit them all!! c
Love that you used canning jars for the crumble.
What?! No cinnamon??? Lol
Apple crumble is wonderful, isn’t it? I used to make it a lot – and have it cold for breakfast – because everyone knows – if you have it hot, there has to be ice-cream… and you can’t have ice-cream for breakfast!…
I’ve got stewed apples in the freezer, and I was wondering what to do with them. Rick is going to LOVE you tonight.
Happy birthdays to your family.
Morning Janet, (laughter) yes I do not add cinnamon, too many tastes. I love apples. It is so easy to make .. have fun.. c
This is brilliant, Celi! I have so many apples and I’ve been making a simple crumble, but I think the presentation on this dish is just the best! I can’t wait to gather the jars and get to it. I will gladly embrace more good suggestions from your abundantly creative kitchen! Debra
Morning Debra and thank you.. hmm you may have just given me an idea.. Hmm.. c
Mmmmmm! We made a pineapple-apple crisp last night and this has reminded me it’s waiting in the fridge. THANKS!
Oh that sounds gorgeous, i must try it! c
I love the idea of seeing layers of colour through the glass. Happy Birthday to the siblings.
My eldest son and youngest daughter.. hope there is not fighting in the kitchen!! c
We call this “apple crisp” where I am from, skip the bran and the lemon, and add nutmeg and cinnamon, but this time of year it would have to be pear crisp or crisp from frozen peaches or berries. I often make crisp with mixes or whatever is in season: peaches and blackberries, nectarines and plums, varying the spices used with the fruit. Sometimes I use some whole wheat pastry flour in the topping.
lovely, and yes i am looking forward to summer again, peach crumble is my other favourite! I find nutmeg and cinnamon together too overpowering, it is like onions and garlic in the same place, but like my sense of smell i have a heightened sense of taste so i love simple tastes, i am dying to try that berry crumble idea of yours, that sounds divine.. I think I even have some frozen ones! c
Ah well, I cook things with onions and garlic together all the time, plus half a dozen Indian spices or some carefully chosen herbs. Someday I might try your simple version for the variety, but you know how family recipes are…
Oh i do know, and we all get used to our own cooking!! I do use spices and herbs, but usually only a few and before you pointed it out i had not really thought about it too much.. great conversation, this is one of the great things about blogging.. c
Great idea 😉
Apple crumble is a forever favorite of mine. Yours look so pretty in their jars!
Celi, this is dreamy. So dreamy. It’s making my mouth water. I love that your kids are making Mama’s dishes at home in NZ. That’s sweet and I hope my kids will do that same sometime when they are grown. I am so happy you shared this family fave as well.
What a great idea and so delicious looking!