Apple Crumble

 I love this time of the year ...the weather is perfect, neither too hot nor too cold. The entire ambiance is full of fun and festivals. You can still taste the festivities of Diwali lingering on in the air. This is the most pleasant season in India, having happily bid adieu to the summer season and with winter well on its way, this is the ideal time to go for long drives and picnics. To top it all -  the markets are full of lovely green vegetables and fresh fruits and the best part is that it is literally raining apples - my favorite fruit!

What better way to celebrate this awesome time of the year than with something sweet. I have made apple pies a couple of times before, so this time I thought of  a simpler and a faster way of making it - kind of a shortcut version - and its actually amazing that not only was it really simple and easy  to make, but just as delicious.

Ingredients

200 gms flour

100 gms butter

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

6 apples

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup raisins

Method 

Preheat oven to 200C.

Chop 4 apples and remove their seeds.( I like to leave the skins on the apples as I believe that's where most of the nutrition is!)

Place the chopped apples in a pressure cooker with 1/4 cup sugar and pressure cook for about 7-8 minutes (give about 3 whistles). 

Open the cooker lid and let the apples cook for 5 more minutes till the extra liquid is absorbed and the mixture is thick in consistency.

Add the cinnamon powder, lemon juice and the raisins.

Take the remaining two apples and roughly cut them into small pieces.(Don't forget to core them)

Mix them with the stewed apples.

Spoon the apples in an ovenproof shallow dish.

Combine the flour and brown sugar in a large bowl.

Using your fingertips, rub in the butter into the flour mixture until well combined and the mixture has a crumbly texture.

Sprinkle the topping generously over the apples.

Bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the crumble topping is nice and golden.

Serve warm or cold with whipped cream or ice-cream.