Cranberry Crumble (Recipe Included)

I have made cranberry crumble a few times in the past couple of weeks. It is a simple, delicious dessert that is always a crowd pleaser!

I love any kind of fruit cobblers, crumbles, buckles, or crisps. Some of these vary slightly, but are all essentially the same. Fall is the perfect time of the year for these types of desserts in my opinion. I love a warm bowl of this cranberry crumble with a hot cup of coffee. I use Granny Smith apples along with cranberries. This combination is pretty sour. However, the topping is very sweet to contrast the tartness of the fruit. This is another recipe that you can play around with a lot. If you don't like cranberries, omit them. You could do a lovely variety of stone fruits or berries in the summer when they are in season. Just use whatever kind of fruit that you like or whatever is available seasonally.

Crumbles originated in Britain during World War II. Because of the strict rationing of ingredients necessary to make a pie, crumbles were invented. They were so popular, though, that they stuck around. The term crisp is the American term for a crumble. A crumble is also similar to a cobbler. However, a cobbler typically has a smoother, more cake-like topping. A buckle is made with a yellow batter almost like cake batter. However, the filling is mixed in with the batter in this dish.

Cranberry Crumble

3 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped

2 cups raw cranberries

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

In a shallow, 2 qt casserole dish, combine cranberries and apples. Mix together lemon juice and sugar. Sprinkle over apple mixture and stir together.

Topping:

1 1/3 cup quick oats

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter, melted

Combine all these ingredients and sprinkle over apple/cranberry mixture. Bake at 350º for 1 hour and 15 minutes.