Apple Crumble Pie

My favourite dessert is apple crumble. My other favourite dessert is anything with pastry. So, I decided to combine the two and bake an apple crumble pie! This creation looks a little bit more impressive than an apple crumble in a serving dish, so if you want to show off a little whilst keeping things classic, this dessert is for you!

You can play around with the fillings by adding pretty much any seasonal fruit. I kept mine classic with a touch of frozen berries to add a pop of colour.

Either continue scrolling for the step by step recipe or watch my full YouTube tutorial here!

How do you avoid soggy pastry?
It's all about the correct cooking when it comes to pastry. None of us want a soggy pastry bottom which is why blind baking the pastry is crucial. Even when recipes don't require blind baking, I always do for at least 10 minutes to help dry the pastry out, otherwise the filling will soften it.
Can you use the offcuts of pastry as a topping of the pie, rather than the crumble?
Of course! The only thing to bear in mind is that if you've blind baked the pastry case, the pastry on top of the apples won't have anything to stick to as the pastry underneath will be cooked already, but you can still make cute decorations with it.
My pastry case shrunk quite a lot, what am I doing wrong?
Pastry has a tendency to shrink, and it's usually down to working it too much and too quickly. It's really important to let the pastry chill in the fridge before rolling it out and baking it. Also, make sure when you line your tin, that the pastry is tightly tucked into the corners of the tart case.

How do you avoid soggy pastry?
It's all about the correct cooking when it comes to pastry. None of us want a soggy pastry bottom which is why blind baking the pastry is crucial. Even when recipes don't require blind baking, I always do for at least 10 minutes to help dry the pastry out, otherwise the filling will soften it.
Can you use the offcuts of pastry as a topping of the pie, rather than the crumble?
Of course! The only thing to bear in mind is that if you've blind baked the pastry case, the pastry on top of the apples won't have anything to stick to as the pastry underneath will be cooked already, but you can still make cute decorations with it.
My pastry case shrunk quite a lot, what am I doing wrong?
Pastry has a tendency to shrink, and it's usually down to working it too much and too quickly. It's really important to let the pastry chill in the fridge before rolling it out and baking it. Also, make sure when you line your tin, that the pastry is tightly tucked into the corners of the tart case.

FAQs and Troubleshooting

This pie works with pretty much any filling. Try it other fruits such as pear, berries or even rhubarb!
If you don't have time to make the pastry from scratch, either use ready made pastry (or even a ready made tart case!)
If you prefer the taste of sour apples, use cooking apples with a sprinkling of brown sugar instead

This pie works with pretty much any filling. Try it other fruits such as pear, berries or even rhubarb!
If you don't have time to make the pastry from scratch, either use ready made pastry (or even a ready made tart case!)
If you prefer the taste of sour apples, use cooking apples with a sprinkling of brown sugar instead

This pie works with pretty much any filling. Try it other fruits such as pear, berries or even rhubarb!
If you don't have time to make the pastry from scratch, either use ready made pastry (or even a ready made tart case!)
If you prefer the taste of sour apples, use cooking apples with a sprinkling of brown sugar instead

Top Tips

Method

20cm tart tin
Large Bowl
Whisk
Rubber Spatula
Clingfilm
Rolling pin
Baking beans
Baking paper
Saucepan
Knife
Chopping board
Peeler

20cm tart tin
Large Bowl
Whisk
Rubber Spatula
Clingfilm
Rolling pin
Baking beans
Baking paper
Saucepan
Knife
Chopping board
Peeler

Equipment

Ingredients

How do you avoid soggy pastry?
It's all about the correct cooking when it comes to pastry. None of us want a soggy pastry bottom which is why blind baking the pastry is crucial. Even when recipes don't require blind baking, I always do for at least 10 minutes to help dry the pastry out, otherwise the filling will soften it.
Can you use the offcuts of pastry as a topping of the pie, rather than the crumble?
Of course! The only thing to bear in mind is that if you've blind baked the pastry case, the pastry on top of the apples won't have anything to stick to as the pastry underneath will be cooked already, but you can still make cute decorations with it.
My pastry case shrunk quite a lot, what am I doing wrong?
Pastry has a tendency to shrink, and it's usually down to working it too much and too quickly. It's really important to let the pastry chill in the fridge before rolling it out and baking it. Also, make sure when you line your tin, that the pastry is tightly tucked into the corners of the tart case.

This recipe fills a 20cm tart tin

Pastry:

50g sugar
125g soft butter
50g (1) egg
200g flour
Zest of 1/2 lemon

Apple Filling:

2 large apples
50g butter
Half a lemon
optional: vanilla, cinnamon, blueberries (or other fruit)

Crumble:

100g flour
100g sugar
100g ground almonds
100g butter

Pastry:

50g sugar
125g soft butter
50g (1) egg
200g flour
Zest of 1/2 lemon

Apple Filling:

2 large apples
50g butter
Half a lemon
optional: vanilla, cinnamon, blueberries (or other fruit)

Crumble:

100g flour
100g sugar
100g ground almonds
100g butter

Pastry:

Place the soft butter in a bowl, add the sugar and whisk until its lightened in colour and fluffy
Add in the egg and continue whisking until fully combined (don't worry if it splits a bit)
Add in the flour along with the lemon zest and fold in using a spatula until the dough comes together
Take out the dough and give it an extra knead on the surface to ensure all the ingredients are evenly combined
Lay the dough flat and wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least half an hour until firm
Once firm, knead the dough once again to make it pliable and roll out on a floured surface until about 2-3mm thick
Line the tart tin, ensuring the corners are pushed in and trim off the excess dough around the edges
Prick the base of the tart tin with a fork and place the tin into the freezer for 10 minutes
Preheat the oven to 170°C/338°F with fan or 190°C/390°F
Blind bake the tart case for 15 minutes, then a further 5-10 minutes without the baking beans until the pastry looks golden brown and dry
Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely

Apple Filling:

Fill a bowl with water along with a squeeze of lemon
Peel the apples and cut them into chunks. Use the bowl of water to keep the cut apples to avoid them turning brown
Place the butter in a saucepan and heat on medium until the butter starts to sizle
Add half of the chopped apples and cook for 3-5 minutes until the apples start to soften
Add the remaining apples and cook for a further 3-5 minutes
Option to add other flavours such as vanilla or frozen fruits
Take off the heat and leave on the side to cool

Crumble, Assembly and Final Bake:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and ground almonds
Add the butter and start to rub into the dry ingredients
Continue rubbing the butter between your fingers and thumbs, breaking up the butter into smaller pieces, eventually forming a crumble consistency
Spoon in the apple filling into the pastry tart case and spread it out evenly
Pile on the crumble over the apply filling and spread out until you can't see any apple underneath
Bake the pie for 15-18 minutes until the crumble is golden brown
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before taking the pie out the tin and serve
Leftover crumble pie can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days

Pastry:

Place the soft butter in a bowl, add the sugar and whisk until its lightened in colour and fluffy
Add in the egg and continue whisking until fully combined (don't worry if it splits a bit)
Add in the flour along with the lemon zest and fold in using a spatula until the dough comes together
Take out the dough and give it an extra knead on the surface to ensure all the ingredients are evenly combined
Lay the dough flat and wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least half an hour until firm
Once firm, knead the dough once again to make it pliable and roll out on a floured surface until about 2-3mm thick
Line the tart tin, ensuring the corners are pushed in and trim off the excess dough around the edges
Prick the base of the tart tin with a fork and place the tin into the freezer for 10 minutes
Preheat the oven to 170°C/338°F with fan or 190°C/390°F
Blind bake the tart case for 15 minutes, then a further 5-10 minutes without the baking beans until the pastry looks golden brown and dry
Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely

Apple Filling:

Fill a bowl with water along with a squeeze of lemon
Peel the apples and cut them into chunks. Use the bowl of water to keep the cut apples to avoid them turning brown
Place the butter in a saucepan and heat on medium until the butter starts to sizle
Add half of the chopped apples and cook for 3-5 minutes until the apples start to soften
Add the remaining apples and cook for a further 3-5 minutes
Option to add other flavours such as vanilla or frozen fruits
Take off the heat and leave on the side to cool

Crumble, Assembly and Final Bake:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and ground almonds
Add the butter and start to rub into the dry ingredients
Continue rubbing the butter between your fingers and thumbs, breaking up the butter into smaller pieces, eventually forming a crumble consistency
Spoon in the apple filling into the pastry tart case and spread it out evenly
Pile on the crumble over the apply filling and spread out until you can't see any apple underneath
Bake the pie for 15-18 minutes until the crumble is golden brown
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before taking the pie out the tin and serve
Leftover crumble pie can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days

Pastry:

Place the soft butter in a bowl, add the sugar and whisk until its lightened in colour and fluffy
Add in the egg and continue whisking until fully combined (don't worry if it splits a bit)
Add in the flour along with the lemon zest and fold in using a spatula until the dough comes together
Take out the dough and give it an extra knead on the surface to ensure all the ingredients are evenly combined
Lay the dough flat and wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least half an hour until firm
Once firm, knead the dough once again to make it pliable and roll out on a floured surface until about 2-3mm thick
Line the tart tin, ensuring the corners are pushed in and trim off the excess dough around the edges
Prick the base of the tart tin with a fork and place the tin into the freezer for 10 minutes
Preheat the oven to 170°C/338°F with fan or 190°C/390°F
Blind bake the tart case for 15 minutes, then a further 5-10 minutes without the baking beans until the pastry looks golden brown and dry
Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely

Apple Filling:

Fill a bowl with water along with a squeeze of lemon
Peel the apples and cut them into chunks. Use the bowl of water to keep the cut apples to avoid them turning brown
Place the butter in a saucepan and heat on medium until the butter starts to sizle
Add half of the chopped apples and cook for 3-5 minutes until the apples start to soften
Add the remaining apples and cook for a further 3-5 minutes
Option to add other flavours such as vanilla or frozen fruits
Take off the heat and leave on the side to cool

Crumble, Assembly and Final Bake:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and ground almonds
Add the butter and start to rub into the dry ingredients
Continue rubbing the butter between your fingers and thumbs, breaking up the butter into smaller pieces, eventually forming a crumble consistency
Spoon in the apple filling into the pastry tart case and spread it out evenly
Pile on the crumble over the apply filling and spread out until you can't see any apple underneath
Bake the pie for 15-18 minutes until the crumble is golden brown
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before taking the pie out the tin and serve
Leftover crumble pie can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days

Pastry:

Place the soft butter in a bowl, add the sugar and whisk until its lightened in colour and fluffy
Add in the egg and continue whisking until fully combined (don't worry if it splits a bit)
Add in the flour along with the lemon zest and fold in using a spatula until the dough comes together
Take out the dough and give it an extra knead on the surface to ensure all the ingredients are evenly combined
Lay the dough flat and wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least half an hour until firm
Once firm, knead the dough once again to make it pliable and roll out on a floured surface until about 2-3mm thick
Line the tart tin, ensuring the corners are pushed in and trim off the excess dough around the edges
Prick the base of the tart tin with a fork and place the tin into the freezer for 10 minutes
Preheat the oven to 170°C/338°F with fan or 190°C/390°F
Blind bake the tart case for 15 minutes, then a further 5-10 minutes without the baking beans until the pastry looks golden brown and dry
Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely

Apple Filling:

Fill a bowl with water along with a squeeze of lemon
Peel the apples and cut them into chunks. Use the bowl of water to keep the cut apples to avoid them turning brown
Place the butter in a saucepan and heat on medium until the butter starts to sizle
Add half of the chopped apples and cook for 3-5 minutes until the apples start to soften
Add the remaining apples and cook for a further 3-5 minutes
Option to add other flavours such as vanilla or frozen fruits
Take off the heat and leave on the side to cool

Crumble, Assembly and Final Bake:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and ground almonds
Add the butter and start to rub into the dry ingredients
Continue rubbing the butter between your fingers and thumbs, breaking up the butter into smaller pieces, eventually forming a crumble consistency
Spoon in the apple filling into the pastry tart case and spread it out evenly
Pile on the crumble over the apply filling and spread out until you can't see any apple underneath
Bake the pie for 15-18 minutes until the crumble is golden brown
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before taking the pie out the tin and serve
Leftover crumble pie can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days