step 1
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C (320 degrees F).
step 2
Peel six Pink Lady Apples (6) and remove the cores to begin your apple crumble. Cut the apples into small cubes and put them into a small saucepan filled with water. Make sure the water covers the top of the apples.
step 3
Boil the apples on a medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until they begin to soften.
step 4
Melt a small amount of Butter (1 Tbsp) using a pastry brush, spread a layer on the base and sides of the baking tin. Be sure to cover all the edges so that the apple crumble doesn't stick to it.
step 5
Pour a small amount of All-Purpose Flour (to taste) inside and roll the tray around so the flour sticks to the butter and forms a thin layer on the bottom and sides.
step 6
Put All-Purpose Flour (3 cups) in a large mixing bowl and add Caster Sugar (3/4 cup) and Baking Powder (2 tsp). Add half of the zest from the Lemon (1)
step 7
Break up Butter (2/3 cup) into small pieces and add it to the mixture. Using your hands, squeeze and break the butter until it begins to bind with the flour.
step 8
Create a small well in the middle of the mixture and add the Eggs (2).
step 9
Add Vanilla Extract (1 Tbsp), mix it together beating it well into the eggs with your fingers and then fold it into the mixture using your hands.
step 10
Continue mixing and you will start to notice that small crumbs begin to form. Continue this process using both hands until the entire mixture forms into balls of different sizes, becoming the pastry for your apple crumble!
step 11
Back to the apples! Remove any excess water from the saucepan, making sure it is level with the apples. Then, add Caster Sugar (1/3 cup) and Ground Cinnamon (3 Tbsp) (use as little or as much as you like!) to your apple mix and stir it through.
step 12
Once the crumble is ready, sprinkle a handful of it over the base of the pan forming the bottom layer. Continue to do this until the base is around one centimeter high and the sides are slightly higher.
step 13
After the apples have mixed well with the cinnamon and sugar, add them to the top of the crumble with a tablespoon, making sure not to get much of the syrup as this will moisten the cake too much and it may collapse. Pour a little juice on top, spreading it over the apples.
step 14
Starting from the edges, use the rest of the crumble to create the top layer and cover all of the apples really well. Once it is covered, shake the tin gently side to side so that you make the top layer nice and even.
step 15
Put the apple crumble in the oven for 40 minutes at a 160 degrees C (320 degrees F).
step 16
To make the cream, mix Mascarpone Cheese (1 cup) and Powdered Confectioners Sugar (2 Tbsp) in a small mixing bowl, stirring really well until the sugar dissolves. Add the remaining lemon zest and mix through.
step 17
Let the apple crumble cool right down, or else it will crumble when you cut into it. Sprinkle icing sugar over the top using a sieve and then place it onto a white plate.
step 18
Spoon a generous scoop of the cream out of the bowl and place it next to your apple crumble. You can decorate this with a strawberry or some edible flowers for added presentation.
