Caramelized Apple Crumble

• raisins↗100 г г
• pitted soft dates100 г г

  cut with scissors into small pieces

• light muscovado sugar↗85 г г
• dark rum↗3 ст. л. ст. л.

  (can be substituted with orange juice)

• unsalted butter25 г г
• mixed spice1 ч. л. ч. л.
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Bramley apples4

  about 800 g, peeled, cored, sliced into 1 cm thick rings

• plain flour↗125 г г
• unsalted butter100 г г
• light muscovado sugar↗50 г г
• large oat flakes↗3 ст. л. ст. л.
• almond pieces↗25 г г

  (can be substituted with other nuts to taste)

• custard or ice cream

  for serving

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 190 °C (170 °C with convection). In a large bowl combine all ingredients for the apple layer, except the lemon juice and apples, and microwave on high power for 1.5 minutes until the butter melts and the sugar becomes syrupy. Add the sliced apples and lemon juice, stir, and spread the mixture evenly in a medium baking dish.

2. 2

   In a separate bowl rub the flour with the butter: first until it forms fine crumbs, then continue until larger clumps resembling coarse cookie dough appear. Add the sugar, oat flakes and almond, mix. Sprinkle the resulting mixture over the fruit, cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil for the last 30 minutes to allow the top to become golden and crisp. Let the crumble stand for 10 minutes, then serve with custard or ice cream.