Don't throw out bruised apples - make a crumble instead

Got a fruit bowl full of apples that look a bit past their best? Well, don’t just throw them away, as you’ve got exactly what you need to make a delicious apple crumble.

Just cut away any bruises or soft patches, and the rest will be perfect for cooking.

And it’s a great winter warmer at this time of year.

What you'll need

For the apple filling:

• five or six apples, depending on their size
• one or two tablespoons of sugar
• a splash of water

For the crumble topping:

• 150g plain flour
• 75g porridge oats
• 75g butter or baking spread
• 75g sugar

How to make it

1.  Wash the apples, cut away any bruised or damaged parts, then peel, core and chop the remaining fruit into chunks.
2.  Put the apples in a saucepan with the sugar and a splash of water, and cook gently for around five or ten minutes until they start to soften.
3.  Put the flour and butter or baking spread into a mixing bowl, and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
4.  Add the oats and sugar and stir them into the crumble mixture.
5.  Spoon the softened apples into an ovenproof dish and spread the crumble topping evenly over the fruit.
6.  Place the dish in a preheated oven at 190°C (170°C fan) for around half an hour, until the topping turns golden and the fruit is bubbling.

Serve warm with custard, yoghurt or a scoop of ice cream.

A cheap and cheerful winter dessert

The great thing about this recipe is that it uses food you already have that might otherwise be heading for the bin.

Apples that are slightly soft or bruised might not look appetising, but they’re ideal for cooking as long as you get rid of the bad bits and they aren’t mouldy.

As for the crumble topping, all you need are some cheap kitchen staples that everyone should have in their cupboard and fridge.

Mix it up a bit

One advantage of making it yourself is that you can have it exactly as you like it.

For example, if you have other fruit knocking about, like berries or pears, you can chuck them in the mix too.

Or you could add some spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and possibly some nuts or leftover oats to the topping.

Instead of following this recipe precisely, use it as the starting point to create your own dessert of dreams.

And you’ll never get bored if it’s a bit different every time. 

Save for another day

Another plus point of homemade apple crumble is that it freezes really well.

So if you want to use up your fruit but don’t think you’ll eat a crumble straight away, or if you’ve got more than you can eat in a single sitting, freeze your crumble before baking or after it’s cooled.

You’ve then got a tasty dessert ready to go whenever you need it, without having to nip to the shops and fork out for one.