Air Fryer Apple Crumble

I’ve been a part of the apple-cinnamon fandom for many, many years! It’s all thanks to the McDonalds apple pie (its unavailability in India will forever be my biggest beef with McDs). So here I am with yet another cinnamon apple dessert! This crowd pleasing dessert has always been easy to put together but getting the air fryer involved just made it ridiculously easier! 

The texture of apples is really important and it is completely dependent on how you like your filling! I like my apples to be soft but with a slight bite. I also like more tart apples like green apples, which is why I’ve used two types of apples in this recipe. This also adds some textural variety. The green apples are more firm and tart whereas the red apples are softer and sweeter. Best of both worlds! Don’t stress out on the apples too much though, If you can only get your hands on one type it’s completely fine. You can balance the sweetness with some lemon juice and the tartness with some more brown sugar. 

I’ve seen a few recipes that cook the apples in the air fryer as well and while you can do that, I found that it was harder to control the texture of the apples. Depending on the type of apple you’re using, it might take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to cook them and I like to do this on the stovetop so that I know exactly when to stop cooking. I usually make the filling a day earlier and stick it in the fridge. Of course then you run the risk of getting lazy the next day and just eating your cooked apples as they are because let’s face it, they’re delicious! 

EQUIPMENT

Apple crumbles are just cooked fruit with a biscuit-y topping. It’s a simple fuss-free dessert and the air-fryer keeps that fuss-free vein going. I like to make mine in the Wonderchef Prato Air Fryer. The 3.8 Litre basket is surprisingly spacious enough to fit 3 ramekins! However, I like to keep it at 2 for easier removal. This recipe makes enough to fill 4 ramekins but given how quickly they cook up, doing this in 2 rounds is no problem at all. There’s even enough space to fit a 6 inch cake tin if you want to make a communal crumble instead of individual servings. 

Traditionally a crumble would take about 30-40 minutes in an oven. This recipe cuts that time down to about 7 minutes! That’s in part due to our use of small ramekins but mainly because of the magic of the air fryer! One thing to note is that the crumble might fly off a bit when you put it in. The oats are the main culprit and some strays can get under your food tray. Then again, the Prato Air Fryer’s basket is so easy to clean all you have to do is wait for it to cool down, remove the food tray and rinse with water. Dry your tray and return it to the fryer and you’re good to go again!

This is a fantastic make-ahead dessert. Get the apple filling and crumble mix ready the day before and just air fry when needed. Crumbles are always best served still slightly warm. I like to eat it with ice cream but you can serve with some salted caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, whipped cream or custard. 

RECIPE CARD 

Serving Size: 4 
Time: 45 min

Ingredients
Apple Filling:

• 2 red apples (About 250g) 
• 2 green apples (About 250g) 
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp brown sugar 
• ½ tbsp cornflour in 1 tbsp water. 
• ¼ cup water 
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon 

Crumble: 

• ½ cup rolled oats 
• ½ cup plain flour
• ½ cup light brown sugar 
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder 
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup melted butter 

METHOD:
Apple Filling: 

1. Peel and chop the apples into 1/2 inch cubes. 
2. Add the apples, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon to a pot on medium heat. 
3. Cook the apples until they become soft, about 15-20 minutes depending on your preference of texture and size of diced apples. 
4. Add the 1/4 cup of water to the apples and let it come to a boil. 
5. Add the cornflour to 1 tbsp of water, mix well and add to the pan. 
6. Cook for 2 minutes and set aside. 

Crumble:

1. Place all ingredients except melted butter into a bowl and toss until combined. 
2. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until you get a crumbly mixture. Some pieces will be bigger than others, but that’s okay. 

Assembly:

1. Turn the air fryer on and set the temperature to 160c. 
2. Grab four ramekins and butter the base and sides.
3. Divide the apple mix between the four ramekins and top with the crumble. 
4. Air fry 2 ramekins at a time for 5-7 minutes until the top looks golden brown. 
5. Serve warm with ice cream, caramel sauce or whipped cream. 

Author:  Sneha Sundar is the creator of You Dim Sum, You Lose Some; a philosophy she adopts both in and out of the kitchen.