Mary Berry Apple and Strawberry Crumble Recipe

This apple and strawberry crumble is a comforting British pudding with soft, lightly sweetened fruit and a crisp, buttery topping. The apples bring warmth and structure, while the strawberries add colour and gentle sharpness. It is an easy, family-friendly bake that suits both everyday puddings and relaxed Sunday lunches. From start to finish, it is ready in about 50 minutes.

Ingredients

For the fruit filling

• 600g cooking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 300g strawberries, hulled and halved
• 75g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cornflour

For the crumble topping

• 175g plain flour
• 100g cold unsalted butter, diced
• 75g light brown sugar
• 50g rolled oats

How to Make Mary Berry Apple and Strawberry Crumble

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Lightly butter a medium ovenproof dish and set it aside.
• Prepare the fruit: Put the sliced apples and strawberries into a large bowl. Add the caster sugar, lemon juice, and cornflour, then gently toss until the fruit is evenly coated.
• Assemble the filling: Spoon the fruit mixture into the prepared dish and spread it out evenly.
• Make the crumble topping: Put the flour into a bowl and rub in the cold butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
• Add sugar and oats: Stir in the light brown sugar and rolled oats, keeping the mixture loose and crumbly.
• Top the fruit: Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the fruit, without pressing it down.
• Bake: Place the dish on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling at the edges.
• Cool slightly: Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips

How do I stop the crumble topping from sinking?

Keep the topping light and crumbly and avoid pressing it down. Cold butter also helps the topping stay crisp.

Can I prepare this crumble ahead of time?

You can assemble the crumble up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and keep it in the fridge. Bake just before serving.

What apples work best?

Bramley or other cooking apples are ideal as they soften well and balance the sweetness of the strawberries.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with hot custard for a traditional pudding
• Pair with vanilla ice cream for a lighter option
• Enjoy with softly whipped cream

Storage

Room temperature

Once cooled, the crumble can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 1 day.

Refrigerator

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave before serving.

Freezing

The baked crumble can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot.

Nutrition

• Calories: 420 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 62g
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 18g
• Saturated fat: 11g
• Sodium: 45mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Mary Berry Apple and Strawberry Crumble Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

A classic British apple and strawberry crumble with a crisp oat topping and soft, lightly sweetened fruit.

Ingredients

• 600g cooking apples, peeled and sliced

• 300g strawberries, hulled and halved

• 75g caster sugar

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp cornflour

• 175g plain flour

• 100g unsalted butter, cold

• 75g light brown sugar

• 50g rolled oats

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and butter an ovenproof dish.
• Mix apples, strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornflour, then spoon into the dish.
• Rub butter into flour until breadcrumb-like, then stir in sugar and oats.
• Sprinkle topping over the fruit evenly.
• Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Notes

• Use cold butter for the best crumble texture.
• Serve warm for best flavour.
• Leftovers reheat well the next day.