You can really experiment with a fruit pie, with all the different filling combinations for you to choose between.
However, there is a lot to think about when it comes to a fruit pie, and your crust and crumble topping could make or break your pie.
With your crumble topping, it is all about getting the balance right. This is because you want your topping to complement and not overpower the pie filling.
In this article, we will be discussing how to make crumble topping for fruit pies, that will compliment any fruit pie that you make.
Crumble Topping Variations
You can use a crumble on various types of fruit pies. They work really well on an apple pie filling, as the topping helps to add sweetness to the apples.
While a crumble topping also goes really well on peach pies. You could even use this topping on top of muffins as well.
Yet when it comes to this crumble topping, there are two main variations that you will see.
There are simple crumble toppings that just use butter, flour, and sugar.
While there are other recipes that also include oats, which provide the topping with some more texture. You can also add cinnamon for even more flavor.
Crumble Topping Ingredients And Method
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cups of sugar (this can be white or brown sugar. You can also use a combination of both)
- 12 tbsp of unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup of rolled oats (optional)
Method
- Step 1 – In a large bowl, cut your butter into small pieces. Alternately, you could also grate your butter, which will make the butter much easier to work with.
- Step 2 – Now you can add your sugar to the bowl. As mentioned above, it is your choice whether you use all brown sugar or all white sugar, or a combination of the two. Brown sugar does offer you a lot more flavor than white sugar.
- Step 3 – After that, add your flour and oats (if you are deciding to use them) to your bowl. Combine all the ingredients together by either using a fork, rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients, or using a pastry blender. You are aiming to produce a mixture that resembles coarse crumbs.
- Step 4 – Follow your pie recipe and when the recipe calls for your pie crust and topping, this is when you can loosely cover your pie filling with the crumble.
- Step 5 – Bake the fruit pie in the oven according to the recipe. We would suggest that you cover the topping with foil for 30 to 50 minutes, then remove the foil for the final 35 to 40 minutes. However, if you think the topping is browning too much, you can put the foil back on.
- Step 6 – Once the fruit pie is cooked, then you can remove the pie from the oven and allow it time to cool on a wire rack. Then you serve it with vanilla ice cream.
Tips For The Perfect Crumble Topping
As you can see, it is really easy to make a crumble topping for your pies. However, some bakers have run into problems with their crumbly toppings.
In this section, we will be discussing some of the most common issues that bakers have faced and how to fix them.
There is a way into getting this topping just right, and everyone wants a bite of crumbly topping and filing with each bite.
Therefore, it is important that you use the right-sized dish for your pie. If your dish is too deep, then you won’t get a nice layer of topping.
It is important you use a good-sized dish. In addition to that, you want to make sure that you use enough butter.
Otherwise, you will find that your topping is too dry and crumbly, or it has become too loose and greasy. There is a balance to find.
Butter is a really important ingredient as it helps the topping to brown and crisp up when in the oven.
Some people find the taste of crumble topping too plain. Therefore, don’t be afraid to add some oats or nuts for some extra flavor and texture.
Yet, remember that oats may make the topping drier, so you will need to counteract this with more butter.
A crumble topping can be too sweet, so be aware of how much sugar you are adding. You can use either white or brown sugar, or a combination of the two.
Yet, it is important to remember that brown sugar may have more flavor, but it is much sweeter than white sugar.
Hence, think about how sweet your pie filling is going to be, and that will affect how much sugar you should be adding to your topping.
Finally, the last thing you want to happen is for your topping to sink.
If your oven is too hot, and you cook the pie for too long, then the chances are your topping could get eaten by our filling, especially if it cooks and sets quickly.
Check your oven times and temperatures.
Conclusion
Sweet pies are a family-loved sweet dessert. It is easy to create the perfect crumble topping to complement the fruit pie filling.
The mixture resembles coarse crumbs, but cooks to create a crispy and firm topping.
In this article, we have given you a crumb topping recipe that you can try for yourself. You can alter the recipe to suit your own tastes.
This can be by adding oats or other flavors such as cinnamon or reducing the amount of sugar that is used.
Now you should be able to create the perfect crumb topping, to serve with your fruit pie and vanilla ice cream at your next family gathering.
