Apple crumble is the British dessert consisting of baked apples topped with a crumbly mixture of flour, butter, and sugar.
The topping is rubbed together to make coarse crumbs, then scattered over sliced or stewed apples before baking. Heat softens the fruit while the topping becomes crisp and golden. Cinnamon or other spices may be added, but the essential structure is fruit beneath a crumble layer.
Apple crumble became especially popular in Britain during the Second World War. Shortages of ingredients such as pastry-making fats and flour made a simple crumb topping more practical than a traditional pie crust. The dish continued as an economical family pudding after the war.
It is commonly served warm with custard, cream, or ice cream. Unlike apple pie, crumble has no pastry shell, while Eve’s pudding uses a sponge topping rather than a flour-and-butter crumble.