Apple Blackberry Crumble Pie!
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My take on a classic and well loved dessert… apple & blackberry crumble, in a pie! Sweet pastry, apple blackberry filling, and a crumble top!
Cooked fruit!
So I have had to become accustomed to cooked apple in things. When I was younger, cooked fruit was just icky and mushy to me! My apple crumble cake and caramel apple crumble pie (excuse the poor photos) have taught me that baked and cooked fruit really can be delicious, and now I regret avoiding it for so many years!
Some fruits I still don’t like cooked as I’m not a fan of the texture. Or, there are some fruits that I simple prefer cooked to others! I decided as my parents apple tree had produced so many apples this year that I should bake with them a few times.
Apple crumble bakes
My apple crumble cupcakes were such a success that I knew I needed to create something else in that flavour family. There’s something about crumble that feels nostalgic and comforting, especially when the weather starts to cool down. It’s classic, cosy baking at its best.
I wanted this recipe to feel different enough from my caramel apple crumble pie, so I decided to switch things up slightly. Adding blackberries gives that gorgeous sweet-sharp contrast against the soft apple. It also adds the prettiest deep purple colour running through the filling.
I also cooked the apples slightly differently this time to change the texture and flavour. Letting them soften gently in the pan first means the filling is perfectly tender by the time the pie is baked, rather than relying entirely on oven time. It gives you more control and a more consistent result.
Why turn it into a pie?
Now technically, apple and blackberry crumble is already perfect as it is. But adding sweet pastry underneath takes it to another level. You get that buttery, slightly crisp base supporting all the soft fruit and crumbly topping.
The contrast of textures is what makes this bake so satisfying. Crisp pastry, jammy fruit filling, and golden crumble all in one bite. It’s everything you love about crumble, just dressed up slightly.
It also makes it feel a little more special. A crumble is casual and comforting, but a pie feels like an occasion. Even if the only occasion is “I had too many apples and needed an excuse to bake.”
Simple swaps
You can easily cheat with this recipe and make it so so much easier, but I do try to put out a full recipe when I can. Simply swap the homemade pastry for some shop bought sweet shortcrust pastry, and swap the homemade crumble for a bag of ready made mix!
There is no shame in using premade stuff. I nearly always will buy puff pastry as I really can’t be arsed to make it, and even other times I will buy pre-made shortcrust if I’m in a rush. You can easily also just turn this into a delicious crumble, and completely forget about the pastry.
But in all honesty, I like making this into a delicious pie. Serve it with some custard, cream, ice cream and more and it will please anyone! A heart-warming dessert that would suit Autumn, Winter, or even the rest of the year. If you have any spare liquid from the fruits left over after draining, you can boil it down to create a delicious sauce to go with it as well!
Tips & tricks
- I use this tart tin
- When buying the apples, buy above the 750g as thats the chopped and peeled weight. You need to aim for about 1kg of apples, to make sure that its enough!
- As you are cooking the fruits in a pan, it really can vary in time. Other hobs/heats could take a full 10 minutes longer than mine for example.
- I reeeeally would recommend using COOKING apples for this rather than regular eating apples because of the length of time the cake is baking for. If you used regular apples, there is a chance they’d turn to mush, and then the cake wouldn’t bake well either. The lovely bright green cooking apples are the ones you’re after!
- This dessert will last in the fridge for up to 3 days, but is best on the day of baking!
Apple Blackberry Crumble Pie!
Ingredients
Pastry Base
- 175 g plain flour
- 100 g unsalted butter (cold, diced + extra for greasing)
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 egg yolk
Pie Filling
- 750 g cooking apples (peeled + cored weight)
- 125 g caster sugar
- 500 g blackberries
Crumble Mixture
- 120 g plain flour
- 60 g caster sugar
- 60 g unsalted butter
Instructions
For the Pastry!
- Sift the flour, icing sugar, and add the diced butter, egg yolk, and 1tbsp of cold water into a food processor. Blitz quickly on the pulse setting until the mixture starts to bind, it shouldn’t take too long at all!
- Grease & flour a deep 23-25cm tart tin – roll the pastry mix out onto a lightly floured surface to the thickness of 1-2 £1 coin(s). Press the pastry into the tin and trim & neaten the edges. Fill any gaps of the pastry with any excess pastry so its all covered! Refrigerate for 1/2 an hour!
- Preheat the oven to 200ºc/180ºc Fan – cover the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans/rice and bake the pastry ‘blind’ for 15 minutes – remove the parchment and the beans and bake for an extra 5-10 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through and turning golden! Leave to cool in the tin.
For the Filling!
- Chop the peeled and cored apples into inch size pieces so they’re still reasonably sized. Add the apple to a large heavy based pan, along with the sugar and two tablespoons of water.
- Cook the apple in the pan, whilst stiring, over a medium heat for five minutes. After the five minutes, stop stiring and add the pan lid and leave to ‘simmer’ for another five minutes.
- Add the blackberries to the apple mixture and continue to simmer for another five minutes, stiring occasionally! You basically need the fruit to still have texture and firmness. If the apples are getting very soft quickly, add the blackberries in sooner so it all doesn’t become a mush. Once cooked, strain the sauce into a bowl and leave the fruit to cool slightly.
For the Crumble Mixture!
- Rub together the sugar, flour and butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. The butter needs to be cold for it to work!
- Add the drained fruit to the pie case, and sprinkle over the crumble mixture. Bake the pie in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the crumble mixture on top is golden!
- Once baked, leave the pie to cool for about 30 minutes as its going to be very hot. Once cooled slightly, remove from the tin and enjoy warm! I add a scoop of vanilla or clotted cream Ice cream… or, leave it to cool and also enjoy cold!
Notes
- When buying the apples, buy above the 750g as thats the chopped and peeled weight. You need to aim for about 1kg of apples, to make sure that its enough!
- As you are cooking the fruits in a pan, it really can vary in time. Other hobs/heats could take a full 10 minutes longer than mine for example.
- I reeeeally would recommend using COOKING apples for this rather than regular eating apples because of the length of time the cake is baking for. If you used regular apples, there is a chance they’d turn to mush, and then the cake wouldn’t bake well either. The lovely bright green cooking apples are the ones you’re after!
- This dessert will last in the fridge for up to 3 days, but is best on the day of baking!
Are you able to use frozen blackberries, just in case I’m unable to buy fresh x
They can produce slightly more liquid, but yes absolutely! x
Hi, how deep does the tin need to be?
HIya! Your tin needs to be at least 3.5cm deep. Hope this helps! x
I’m thinking of making this dessert for Xmas Day to take to in laws. Can the filling and pastry etc all be made in advance and then assembled together and cooked on Xmas Eve. Will it be okay to reheat on Xmas Day? Or if just put together and left ready for cooking on Xmas Day would it just make the pastry to wet and soggy with the filling inside? Hope that all makes sense Thank you
Hiya! You could assemble and keep in the fridge overnight, to then bake when needed on Christmas Day! Enjoy! x
Can you make the Apple and Blackberry Crumble then bake it in the oven the next day, thinking of doing it for Xmas Day, and wouldnt have time to do it all on the main day.
Yes absolutely, keep it in the fridge overnight then bake when needed! Enjoy! x
If I line the tart tin with the pastry in the morning, and leave it in the fridge covered with clingfilm, could I then do the rest, when I get home from work? Just to save on time.
Hi Jane,
Do you know how long I could leave the pastry in the fridge for before baking? Looking to make the pastry a couple of days before baking the pie. Will that be okay? Thanks
Hey! Yes I usually say up to 3 days in the fridge is fine x
Hi Jane. Can you do this recipe with just blackberries?
The blackberries can be soft and create more juice, but otherwise, yes! x
Hia, what is the red drizzle on top of the crumble? I really need to say how much I love your recipes -they are the only recipes I’ll use from now on every single thing I’ve made is delicious!!x
It’s leftover sauce from the fruits xx
This looks delicious but is it possible to use gluten-free flour in the pastry base and the crumble mixture? 🙂 x
I don’t see why not, but I have never tried a straight swap. Sometimes it can change quantities slightly x
Hiya Jane, love you recipes you make them so easy to follow. How do I make the pastry for you apple and blackberry crumble pie with out a food processor? Thanks xx
Rub the ingredients with your finger tips and slowly bring together! x
What do I do with the drained liquid from the fruit? Making this for Christmas dinner. Thanks so much.
Can I swap out the blackberries for raspberries? X
Yes they can!
Yum! Looks delicious.
Hi Jane can you freeze your cheesecakes .? I have made a few which are so yummy
Yes you can indeed! You need to set them fully first, before freezing.
Hi Jane, can you just use apples, if so how many would you recommend ?