Blackberry, Pear & Apple Crumble
This blackberry, pear & apple crumble combines seasonal fruit with a crunchy, lightly spiced almond crumble topping. Best served with ice cream!
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Apple & blackberry is probably my favourite flavour of crumble & the addition of sweet, juicy pears makes it even better! This could be the best Autumn dessert around…
To make this crumble, we’re cooking the fruit in sugar, butter & vanilla until it’s nice and tender then we’ll be topping it with a lightly spiced, almond crumble topping & baking until crisp, crunchy & bubbling.
This dessert’s a fantastic way to use in season fruit (especially when you pick them yourself!), it’s surprisingly easy to make and it works fantastically with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a generous amount of homemade custard or a drizzle of pouring cream. This is one tasty homemade pudding!
For more pudding inspiration, check out our ever growing collection of dessert recipes! There’s a wide range of desserts here, from classic crumbles, tarts, homemade ice creams & lots more…
What You’ll Need
- Blackberries – This crumble works best with wild blackberries but shop bought or frozen berries will work as well (make sure to defrost them first!).
- Pears – We’re using Conference pears in this crumble, for their sweet, juicy flavour.
- Apples – Cooking apples work best for crumble! I like use Braeburns but Bramley or Granny Smith apples will work as well.
- Almonds – We’re using both ground & flaked almonds in our crumble topping, for an extra nutty flavour.
- Butter – Unsalted butter works best in both the filling & topping. Adding butter to the filling, gives it a richer flavour & glossier finish! If you’re using salted butter, reduce the salt in the recipe slightly.
- Sugar – We need different three types of sugar for this recipe. There’s caster sugar in the filling & demerara and light brown sugar in the topping. You could use just caster sugar in both the topping & filling but I’d recommend using the different types, for the best flavour and texture!
- Oats – Rolled/old fashioned porridge oats work best for the crumble topping.
- Vanilla – Apples, pears, blackberries & vanilla are a fantastic combination! I’d recommend using a good vanilla paste in the filling (or half a pod if you’re feeling fancy!).
- Salt – Adding salt to both the filling & topping is key to making the best tasting crumble.
- Lemon – We’re using lemon juice to prevent the fruit from going brown as we prep it.
- Cornflour – Stirring a cornflour slurry into the fruit filling, thickens it up making it more luxurious!
How To Wash Wild Blackberries
Wild blackberries can be found on hedgerows & in woodlands in late summer & early to mid Autumn. Once ripe, they’ll be juicy, plump and a dark, black colour.
It’s important to wash wild blackberries after picking them, to remove any bugs & dirt. To do this fill a large bowl with 3 parts cold water & 1 part vinegar (apple cider or white wine works best) then add in the berries & leave to soak for at least 5 minutes. The acidity will draw out insects/bugs if there are any.
Drain the blackberries into a colander then refill the bowl with cold water & soak the berries for another 5 minutes. Repeat this step once more then drain & leave the berries to dry slightly before using.
Make sure not to use warm water or to run water directly onto the berries as this will turn them mushy.
How To Make Blackberry, Apple & Pear Crumble
The full, printable recipe card for this crumble can be found at the bottom of this post! Here’s a quick rundown of the recipe…
- Crumble Topping
We’re making the crumble topping first, to give it plenty of time to chill in the fridge before baking (this makes it crispier!). To make the topping, we rub cold butter into flour, ground almonds & a pinch of salt until it resembles breadcrumbs then we stir in porridge oats, sugar & flaked almonds. We then squeeze the mix together with our hands, to form small clumps then pop it in the fridge whilst we cook the fruit for the filling. - Fruit Prep
To prep the fruit for the filling, we peel, quarter & core the apples and pears then chop into 1-2cm thick chunks. As we’re prepping the fruit, we toss them in lemon juice to stop them going brown. - Cooking The Filling
To cook the filling, we add the apple & pear chunks into a saucepan along with butter, caster sugar, vanilla paste & a pinch of salt. We then cook the fruit until it is starting to soften then stir in the blackberries, cook for another minute or two then thicken the filling with cornflour (mixed with water). - Assembly & Baking
To assemble the crumble, we add the filling into a 10″ ovenproof dish (that has been greased with butter) then sprinkle over the chilled topping, making sure to completely cover the fruit. We then bake the crumble for 25-30 minutes at 180°c/356°f, until the top is crisp & golden and the filling is bubbling. - To Serve
Once our crumble is cooked, we spoon it into bowls then serve whilst it’s still hot! A classic blackberry, pear & apple crumble works best with warm vanilla custard, scoops of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of pouring cream.
Crumble Tips & Tricks
- Add the blackberries in at the end – Stirring fresh blackberries into the cooked apples & pears helps them retain their shape & texture.
- Chill the crumble topping – For a crisp, crunchy crumble, we make the topping first then chill it in the fridge whilst we make the filling.
- Use a mix of sugars – Using a mix of demerara sugar & light brown sugar in the crumble topping gives it a crisp, fudgy texture.
- Use a mix of almonds – We’re using both ground & flaked almonds in the crumble topping, for extra flavour.
- Lightly spice the crumble – Flavouring the crumble topping with a small amount of ginger & cinnamon complements the fruit nicely.
- Serve with ice cream or custard – A classic blackberry crumble works best with either vanilla ice cream, custard or pouring cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cooking apples work best for crumble. I like to use Braeburn apples as they won’t lose their shape once they’re cooked. If you’d prefer softer, fluffier apples you could use Bramley or Granny Smith apples instead.
Frozen blackberries work great for crumble but will need to be defrosted fully first. This is a great way to use blackberries at their best even when they’re not in season!
The best way to reheat leftover crumble is to cover the top with foil then bake in a 180°c/356°f oven until hot. If you’re just reheating one or two portions, a microwave alsoworks well.
Both the crumble filling & topping can be made in advance & stored separately in the fridge for up to 3 days (or in the freezer for several months). If you’re cooking the crumble straight from the fridge, add a couple of minutes to the cooking time.
To avoid overcooking the fruit, I like to cook the apples & pears in a pan first, just until they’re starting to soften. Then we stir the blackberries in last, once the rest of the fruit is cooked. The blackberries keep their shape & texture this way!
Baking Crumble In An Aga
With all of my recipes, I include cooking instructions for conventional ovens, fan ovens & also Agas. Here’s how to cook this recipe in an Aga…
Cook the fruit for the filling on the simmering plate. Bake the crumble in the baking oven, on the bottom set of runners.
Equipment Used
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More Dessert Recipes To Try!
- Cherry Bakewell Crumble
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- Fried Hot Cross Bun Bread & Butter Pudding
- Pear Tarte Tatin
- Brown Butter Hobnob Cheesecake
- Sticky Toffee Gingerbread
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Blackberry, Pear & Apple Crumble
Equipment
- 10" Round Baking Dish
- Large Saucepan
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Vegetable Peeler
Ingredients
Almond Crumble Topping
- 140 g Plain Flour
- 50 g Ground Almonds
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Ground Ginger
- A Pinch Of Sea Salt
- 150 g Unsalted Butter (Chilled & Diced)
- 80 g Porridge Oats
- 80 g Demerara Sugar
- 70 g Light Brown Sugar
- 30 g Flaked Almonds
Fruit Filling
- 1 Lemon (Juiced)
- 600 g Cooking Apples (See Notes)
- 600 g Conference Pears
- 500 g Blackberries
- 130 g Caster Sugar
- 40 g Unsalted Butter
- 1 tsp Vanilla Paste
- A Pinch Of Sea Salt
- 25 g Cornflour
Instructions
Almond Crumble Topping
- Place the plain flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, ginger & salt into a mixing bowl then whisk to combine. Add in the butter then rub in with your hands, until the mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Next, stir in the oats, both sugars & flaked almonds then squeeze the mix together to form small clumps.If the pieces are too big, break them up with your fingers.
- Place the crumble mix into the fridge & leave to chill whilst you make the filling.
Fruit Filling
- Preheat an oven to 180°c/160°c fan (356°f/320°f).Grease the inside of a round 10" ovenproof dish with butter then set aside.
- Add the lemon juice into a large saucepan then set to one side.
- Peel, quarter & core the apples & pears then cut into 1-2cm thick pieces. As you cut the fruit, place the pieces into the pan & mix with the lemon juice, to stop them going brown.
- Next, add the sugar, butter, vanilla, & salt to the fruit & stir to coat.
- Set the pan over a medium-low heat then cook until the fruit has started to soften, stirring regularly. This will take 10 minutes or so.
- Next, add the blackberries into the apples & pears then cook for another minute or two, stirring frequently until the fruit has turned red.
- Place the cornflour into a bowl & stir in enough cold water to make a thick paste. Add this to the fruit then cook out for another 1-2 minutes, until the juice has thickened.You'll need around 1 tbsp of cold water.
- Transfer the filling into the greased dish then sprinkle the chilled crumble topping over the top, so that the fruit is completely covered.
- Bake the crumble in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the topping is crisp & golden and the filling is bubbling.I'd recommend cooking the crumble on a baking tray, just in case any juices bubble over!
- Once baked, spoon the crumble into bowls then serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream or a generous amount of hot vanilla custard.
