September is the perfect time to celebrate the last of summer produce and the first of autumn harvests. This Orchard Fruit Crumble features summer stone fruits including plums and apricots along with autumnal apples, dried cranberries, and spices. Serve this Orchard Fruit Crumble for dessert or as a decadent breakfast!
This recipe was created in collaboration with Red Barn Market.
Combining Late Summer & Early Autumn Flavours
This Orchard Fruit Crumble is a great recipe to make from late August to the end of September when there are a variety of summer fruits still available and fall fruits are coming into season.
The combination of summer stone fruits and heartier fall fruits really make this crumble unique. Here are the fruits that I used in this recipe:
- Purple Plums- these are super sweet, juicy and cook down perfectly in the crumble as it bakes
- Apricots- these are small but pack some mighty summer flavour, and they have a stunning orange colour in this crumble
- Honeycrisp Apples- this is my favourite apple for eating and baking because it is tart and sweet, and they are just starting to come into season
- Dried Cranberries- these add the perfect autumnal addition to this recipe and rehydrate/plum up perfectly
The Secret to the Perfect Crumble
My tried-and-true secret to the perfect crumble is to partially cook the fruit before baking it in the oven. I like to give the fruit a bit of a head start to allow the fruit to become nice and soft without the crumble topping overcooking.
To cook the fruit, I add all the fruit into a large pot along with the sugar and spices and stew for 15 minutes to allow the fruit to cook. This is especially important for the apples as they are the most dense/firm fruit in the bunch and it is best to let them soften up as much as possible so they match the texture of the rest of the fruit. Try this out and you will never go back!
Get the Recipe!
Orchard Fruit Crumble
Ingredients
For the Crumble:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter melted
For the Fruit Filling:
- 4 medium Honeycrisp apples peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 medium purple plums pitted and cut into wedges
- 6 large apricots pitted and cut into wedges
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Begin by making the crumble. Add the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a bowl and mix to combine. Pour in the melted butter and mix again until the crumble begins to clump up. If it is not clumping, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the topping begins to clump. Set aside for now.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Next make the filling. Add the chopped apples, plums, apricots, cranberries, and water into a large pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add the sugar to the pot with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and toss to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the fruit is beginning to soften and release liquid.
- Mix the cornstarch into the orange juice to dissolve, then pour into the fruit mixture. Cook the fruit over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, or until the liquid has thickened. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Mix to combine.
- Pour the fruit filling into a 9×13 inch baking dish and spread it out into an even layer. Sprinkle the crumble on top in an even layer, making sure to evenly distribute the clumps of crumble across the fruit.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the crumble is golden brown and crisp. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
