Make Ahead

Rustic Fruit Crumble

July 12, 2013
Photo by Frederick Stone
Author Notes

At our house this dessert is called "Apple Stuff." Calling it "Apple Stuff" doesn't mean that it's always made with apples, and since it defies any clear category- it's a rustic throw together type of fruit dessert- we just call it "stuff." You can make this dessert in about 75 minutes, start to finish. At one time I was making a cobbler, the recipe just got simpler, faster, less sweet and less fat laden as time passed. We have "Apple Stuff" for dessert on most weekends of the year- it's great alone or alongside cake and/or ice cream. —Ann Goldman

  • Serves 8-10
  • 2 cups peeled, thinly sliced apples (of any kind)
  • 6-8 cups other various fruit (including more apples, peaches, pears, strawberries, plums, pitted cherries, blueberries, etc)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup oatmeal (quick or old fashioned, NOT instant)
  • 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup corn meal
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 1/4 cup orange or cranberry juice
In This Recipe
  1. Grease the pan, preheat the oven to 370 degrees (the fruit will need to bubble, but the oven need not be as hot as when you bake pie)
  2. Cut up the fruit. Start with 2 cups of peeled and sliced apples and add any other fruit, including more apples. I have found that the best "stuff" always has some apple slices in the filling. I don't think this is because apples have pectin- most of the pectin is in the peel. It's optional to peel other fruit (e.g. peaches, plums, pears).
  3. Place the apples on the bottom of the pan, other fruit is piled on top of the apples
  4. Prepare the crumble top by melting the butter (or margarine). I use a 4 cup glass measuring cup, melting the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds
  5. Add the whole wheat flour, corn meal, oatmeal, sugar and cinnamon into the measuring cup and mix. The mixture will be firm
  6. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the fruit, the covering will be sparse
  7. Pour juice over the entire mixture
  8. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbly
  9. Cool before serving, this crumble will make at least 8 servings. It's delicious by itself, but can always pair up well with ice cream, sorbet or cake

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