UKCold butter is the whole point. Warm butter melts into flour instead of coating it. Keep everything cold and work fast.
Add a tablespoon of bourbon or dark rum to the filling for deeper flavor. A pinch of cardamom instead of cinnamon is also worth trying.
Peach Crumble
By Sergei Martynov
Juicy peaches under a rough, buttery oat-and-nut topping that shatters when you push a spoon through it. The filling thickens as it bakes, the crumble goes golden, and the whole thing smells like summer in the oven.
What you'll need
Ingredients
- 900 g
See recipes with ripe but firm peachesripe but firm peaches, about 6–8 medium
i - 50 g
See recipes with caster sugarcaster sugar
i - 1 tbsp
See recipes with cornstarchcornstarch (cornflour)
i - 1 tbsp
See recipes with lemon juicelemon juice, freshly squeezed
i - 1 tsp
See recipes with ground cinnamonground cinnamon
i - 150 g
See recipes with all-purpose flourall-purpose flour
i - 50 g
See recipes with rolled oatsrolled oats
i - 100 gSee recipes with light brown sugar
light brown sugar
i - 100 g
See recipes with cold unsalted buttercold unsalted butter, cut into 1 cm cubes
i - 50 g
See recipes with ground almonds or roughly chopped walnutsground almonds or roughly chopped walnuts (optional)
i
How to make it
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Halve and pit the peaches. Cut each half into 3–4 wedges. Toss with caster sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and cinnamon. The cornstarch absorbs juice and turns it into a glossy sauce. Tip into a 23×30 cm baking dish.
- 2
Make the crumble. Combine flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, and nuts. Add cold butter cubes. Rub in with fingertips until it resembles rough breadcrumbs with pea-sized lumps. About 2 minutes.
- 3
Scatter the crumble loosely over the peaches. Don't press down. For extra crunch, chill 15 minutes before baking.
- 4
Bake 35–40 minutes until deep golden brown and filling bubbles at the edges. If topping browns before filling bubbles, cover with foil and give 10 more minutes.
- 5
Rest at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my peach crumble topping come out soft instead of crunchy?
Almost always the butter — it needs to be genuinely cold. Also don't skip the cornstarch in the filling. Try chilling the assembled crumble 15 minutes before baking.
Can I make peach crumble ahead of time?
Yes. Topping and filling can be made a day ahead separately. Assembled unbaked crumble keeps 24 hours in the fridge. Baked crumble keeps 2 days at room temperature or 4 days in the fridge. Reheat at 160°C for 10–15 minutes.
Can I use frozen peaches?
Yes, straight from the freezer. Increase cornstarch to 1.5 tablespoons and add 5–7 minutes to baking time. Canned peaches in syrup also work — drain well and reduce sugar to 25 g.
How do I make peach crumble gluten-free?
Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, or ground almonds (150–200 g). Make sure oats are certified gluten-free. The filling is naturally gluten-free.
What temperature and how long to bake?
180°C for 35–40 minutes. You need both: golden topping AND bubbling filling. If only one, keep going. Glass dishes need 5 extra minutes.
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