Nutty apple rhubarb crumble with vanilla custard; a cosy British classic, with soft tangy fruit and warming spices, adorned with a creamy pouring sauce.
Ok, I know. It’s hardly apple season.
However, it is rhubarb season! A divisive vegetable to say the least, and yes, it is a vegetable.
Half-seasonal or not, there’s absolutely no arguing that this is a dessert welcome even in the warmest of spring days. It’s cosy but not too heavy. It’s fresh and tangy and warming and sweet all at once.
Any produce cooked under a generous buttery crumble would be delicious, I’d imagine. That said, there’s something about that apple and rhubarb combination that’s just utterly perfect. Both crunchy when fresh but soft and tender when cooked slowly. One adding sweetness and body, the other melting to provide bold colour and zingy sharpness.
The rhubarb in today’s recipe was actually added via a delicious wee jar of apple and rhubarb puree we had lying around, begging to be baked into something on a particularly rainy day. In the absence of that, or something similar, this crumble can easily be made by swapping in fresh rhubarb and a bit of sugar to sweeten.
Instead, the nutty part of this nutty apple rhubarb crumble comes, unsurpisingly, directly from nuts. Chopped pecans, walnuts, and almonds add gloriously crunchy and satisfying texture to the crumble topping. Gently toasting as the dish bakes in the oven, they also provide a gorgeously savoury contrast to the sweet elements preset.
And can we talk about that custard?? While a traditional British custard uses only vanilla, and many of us are used to the imitation kind in mass-produced varieties, today we’ve added lemon too. Making desserts for or with Italians often means adding lemon to just about everything, and I don’t blame them either. A bit of lemon zest elevates this custard to be something truly stunning, especially so when enjoyed cold rather than hot. Of course, your custard temperature preferences are entirely your business.
Nothing describes this nutty apple rhubarb crumble with vanilla custard better than a hug-in-a-bowl. You’ll need a bit of patience to get you through the baking time in the oven, and the custard-stirring. I assure you though, it’s worth every minute. I’m not sure there exists another pudding this comforting, or one that provides this much shareable satisfaction with so little faff.
If you like a bit of video step-by-step, I included this lovely recipe in a vlog on my YouTube channel.
I’d recommend it eaten warm as an afternoon treat with a cup of tea, as a lovely hot dessert, or even eaten cold the next day for breakfast. Honestly, I just recommend it, period.
To make this nutty apple rhubarb crumble with vanilla custard, simple follow the recipe below:
Nutty Apple Rhubarb Crumble with Vanilla Custard
Ingredients
For the apple rhubarb filling:
- 4 regular eating apples
- 300g (10 oz) apple rhubarb puree (I used one from Koro, otherwise you can used 400g of fresh rhubarb)
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 3 tbsp dark or light brown sugar (if using fresh rhubarb)
For the crumble topping:
- 100g (½ cup) dark or light brown sugar
- 100g (6 ½ tbsp) cold salted butter, cut into small cubes
- 160g (1 cup) plain flour
- 100g mixed nuts, roughly chopped (I used pecans, walnuts, and almonds)
- ½ tsp cinnamon
For the vanilla custard:
- 600ml (2 ½ cups) whole milk
- 1 vanilla pod, or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Zest of ½ a lemon
- 1 large egg
- 3 large egg yolks
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp cornflour
Instructions
For the apple rhubarb filling:
- Peel and chop the apples into small chunks. If you prefer a soft texture, chop them smaller, if you prefer a crisper texture, chop them larger! Do the same with the rhubarb, if using.
- Tip your fruit chunks filling into a 20 x 20cm (8 x 8i n) ceramic baking dish. Add the fruit puree (if using), the flour, and the sugar.
- Stir to coat the fruit evenly.
- Set aside while you make your crumble topping.
For the crumble topping:
- Preheat your oven – 180 C / 160 C fan / 350 F / gas mark 4.
- In a large bowl, weigh out all your crumble topping ingredients.
- With clean hands, pinch and rub all the crumble topping ingredients together for 3-5 minutes. You want to achieve a sort of breadcrumb texture with chunky crumbles.
- Tip all of the crumble topping onto your fruit, and spread out loosely but evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. The crumble should be golden and crisp, and the fruit tender.
- Allow the dish to sit for 10-15 minutes once out of the oven to cool slightly. Meanwhile you can make your custard (though feel free to make it ahead of time if you prefer it cold!).
For the vanilla custard:
- Pour the milk into a medium saucepan.
- Use a knife to carefully scrape the little seeds from the vanilla pod, adding them to the milk. Grate the lemon zest in too.
- Place the pan over a low-medium heat until gently steaming and hot to the touch, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl or jug, whisk the egg, yolks, sugar and cornflour until just combined into a sort of smooth paste.
- Once hot, slowly pour the milk in a steady stream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to amalgamate.
- Pour the custard mixture back into the saucepan and return it to a low heat.
- Stir continuously with a whisk or spatula until the custard has thickened, this will take about 10-12 minutes. It takes a bit of patience, but it's worth it!
- Pour the thickened custard into a jug.
- Serve immediately over the crumble while hot, or cover the surface directly with clingfilm and allow to cool for later use.
- Enjoy!
Be a Maverick: keep this recipe seasonal for the springtime by using only rhubarb, or swap the rhubarb for pears to make this an autumnal treat.
This nutty apple rhubarb crumble will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The custard is best consumed within 2-3 days, ideally stored in the fridge with clingfilm touching its surface.
You may also like:
- Nutty Apple Rhubarb Crumble with Vanilla Custard
- Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Grapefruit Vanilla Curd
- Blood Orange Bars
- Gingerbread Brownie Bites
