Apple Crumble

When I went to the supermarket the other day to get some nice rhubarb so I could make a crumble, I was a little disappointed when I couldn't find any decent looking strands. I decided to make an apple crumble instead, since you can always find some nice apples.
Technically, the season for Apple Crumble is already over but for me this is a year round desert. The smell of an apple crumble in the oven is so irresisitible that even when it is 90 degrees outside, my family still devours this dessert. Although my kids prefer Jamie Oliver's classic Fruit Crumble recipe I love the nuttyness of  Nigella's version. She adds sunflower kernels, oats and almonds as a topping which adds a lovely crunch to the dish.

Apple Crumble

(adapted from Nigella Lawson's Blackberry Crisp)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick)/115 g  plus 1 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flaked almonds
• 1/4 cup sunflower kernels
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 cups sliced apples
• 1/4 cup vanilla or granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Yields: 4-6 servings

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200 C. Melt the butter and put to one side for a moment.

Combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, almonds, kernels, and cinnamon in a bowl. Tip the blackberries into a wide shallow baking dish (I used one here with a 3-cup capacity), sprinkle over the vanilla sugar and cornstarch, and tumble about to mix.
Stir the melted butter into the crisp topping and spoon on top of the apples to cover but not absolutely thoroughly. Bake for 25 minutes and serve with ice cream or heavy cream.