Apple Crumble

Drain your apple slices and put them into a medium saucepan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of caster sugar, depending on how sharp your apples are, and 2 tablespoons of water. Set the pan over a low to medium heat on the gas hob and put a lid on. Cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the apples have begun to soften but are not collapsing entirely. You want them to have given up some of their juice and started to turn translucent at the edges, but still hold a little shape. Tip the apples into your baking dish and spread them level. Set aside while you make the topping.

Now the crumble topping, which is where the flavour really sits. Put the 175g of plain flour into your large mixing bowl and add the cubes of cold butter straight from the fridge. Using your fingertips only, not your palms, rub the butter into the flour. Lift the mixture as you work, letting it fall back into the bowl, which keeps air in and keeps everything cool. Keep going until the mixture looks like rough, uneven breadcrumbs. Some larger pieces are fine and will give the finished crumble a good texture. Do not overwork it into a paste. Stir through the 75g of demerara sugar and a pinch of salt. The sugar will make the top crisp and give it a pleasant bite.

Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the apple filling in the baking dish. Do not press it down. Leave it loose and uneven. A pressed-down crumble topping steams rather than crisps, and you will know the difference by the time it comes out of the oven. Spread it right to the edges so the fruit is covered. Slide the dish onto the middle shelf of the gas oven, which should be at 190C, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. There is nothing for you to do during this time except perhaps make the custard.

For apple crumble, the unifying liquid is custard, and it wants to be made while the crumble is in the oven so everything arrives at the table at the right temperature. Pour 500ml of whole milk into a saucepan with a split vanilla pod or half a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Warm it gently over a low heat until it is steaming but not boiling. Meanwhile, whisk together 4 egg yolks and 3 tablespoons of caster sugar in a bowl until pale and slightly thickened, then whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornflour. Pour the warm milk slowly onto the egg mixture, whisking as you go, then return everything to the pan over a low heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. This takes about 5 to 8 minutes and wants your full attention. Do not let it boil. If it begins to look as though it might catch, take it off the heat immediately and whisk hard. Pour into a warm jug to serve. The custard contains raw egg yolks that are cooked through during this process, but please note this dish does contain egg if that is relevant to you.

Pull the crumble from the oven the moment the top is golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Leave it to sit for 5 minutes before serving. This is not optional. A crumble taken straight from the oven will be liquid underneath the topping and too hot to eat comfortably. Five minutes and it settles into itself properly. Dust the top lightly with a little icing sugar if you like, though the demerara already gives it a pleasant finish and it does not need much. Carry it to the table in the dish and pour the custard alongside in the warm jug so people can help themselves.