Apple crumble

When going to a coffee shop I will always check out the apple crumble.  It is one of my favourite teatime treats, but most of the times I am really disappointed when I order it, especially when it was reheated in a microwave oven.  I am still trying to find the perfect recipe, but in the meantime this is the one I make regularly.

For the crust and the crumble:

125 g butter (don't use margarine), at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups desiccated coconut

50g flaked almonds

Filling:

80g butter

1/2 cup sugar

825g tin tinned apples

or 8 Granny Smith apples

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon cornflour

If using the fresh apples, peel and cut into eighths. In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the sugar.  Heat slowly until the sugar is melted, then turn up the heat and leave until the sugar is a golden caramel colour.  Add the apples and turn down the heat to a gentle simmer.  Cook until the apples are soft, around 10 minutes.  If using tinned apples, simmer until heated through.  Mix the cornflour with a little bit of water and add to the apples.  Stir and boil for 1 minute.  Add the cinnamon. Leave to cool while making the crust/crumble.

Cream the butter and sugar.  Add the flour, baking powder and coconut and mix.  The mixture will be fairly crumbly.  Use two thirds and press into a pie dish.  Mix the almonds with the remaining third of the flour mixture.  Fill the crust with the apple mixture then sprinkle the top with the crumble.  Bake at 160 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve warm with whipped cream.