Apple, Cream and Spiced Rye Crumble Pots

Name: Apple, Cream and Spiced Rye Crumble Pots
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: scandinavian
Ingredients: 4 cooking apples; 6 tbsp caster sugar; 50g unsalted butter; 100g brown breadcrumbs; 100g soft light brown sugar; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; ground cardamom from 8 cardamom pods; 100g rye breadcrumbs; 500ml whipping cream; 5 tbsp icing sugar (or add to taste); good squeeze of lemon; 2 tbsp aquavit (optional), or to taste; 2 tbsp blanched hazelnuts halved and toasted

⏱ 60 mins 🍽 Serves 8 🌶 scandinavian ✅ Easy 🏷 Dessert

This Scandinavian-inspired dessert features distinct layers of stewed cooking apples, a spiced rye and brown breadcrumb crumble, and lightly sweetened whipped cream. The apples are cooked with caster sugar until tender, while the breadcrumbs are toasted with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. Everything is assembled in a glass bowl to showcase the layers, then finished with toasted hazelnuts. It serves 8 people and takes about 60 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients

4 cooking apples
6 tbsp caster sugar
50g unsalted butter
100g brown breadcrumbs
100g soft light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
ground cardamom from 8 cardamom pods
100g rye breadcrumbs
500ml whipping cream
5 tbsp icing sugar (or add to taste)
good squeeze of lemon
2 tbsp aquavit (optional), or to taste
2 tbsp blanched hazelnuts halved and toasted

Method

Peel and core the apples, then cut the flesh into chunks. Place them in a large saucepan with the caster sugar and 3 tbsp water. Cook gently until the apples are completely tender, stirring occasionally and mashing them roughly with a spoon. If the purée seems too wet, simmer it until some moisture reduces.
Taste the apples for sweetness, remembering they will be paired with sweet cream and breadcrumbs. Transfer them to a bowl to cool. You can keep the stewed apples chunky or purée them smooth, as is traditional in Scandinavia.
Melt 25g of the butter in a frying pan. Add the brown breadcrumbs and 50g of the brown sugar. Sauté, stirring constantly, until the breadcrumbs turn golden. Stir in half the cinnamon and half the cardamom and cook for about 1 min. Spread the mixture on a tray to cool. Repeat this process with the rye breadcrumbs, then combine both types of breadcrumbs in a bowl.
Whip the cream, incorporating the icing sugar and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Add the lemon before the cream becomes too thick. If using, add the aquavit once the cream is whipped.
In a glass bowl to display the layers, begin with the stewed apples. Alternate layers of the mixed breadcrumbs and whipped cream, finishing with a layer of cream. Just before serving, scatter the toasted hazelnuts over the top.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories534 kcal

Fat33 g

Saturates19 g

Carbs53 g

Sugars43 g

Fibre3 g

Protein4 g

Sodium160 mg

Recipe details

Skill levelEasy

CategoryDessert

Cuisinescandinavian

DietVegetarian