Apple, Almond and Amaretti Crumble

The crumble has a wonderfully resourceful origin — born in Britain during the Second World War, when rationing meant that the butter, sugar and flour needed for a proper pastry crust were simply not available in sufficient quantities. The crumble topping was the ingenious solution: fewer ingredients, less effort, and — as generations of cooks have discovered since — arguably more delicious than the pie it replaced. It has never gone out of fashion, and with good reason.

This version takes the classic one step further, adding crushed amaretti cookies to the topping alongside the almonds — the Italian touch bringing a fragrant, almost marzipan-like quality that pairs beautifully with the sweet-tart apples beneath. The amaretti also give the crumble a particularly irresistible crunch that makes it very hard to stop at one serving. It was our go-to dessert when I lived in London — comforting, unfussy and always a crowd pleaser — and it has never left my repertoire. Make the topping ahead and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake — it goes straight from cold onto the fruit and into the oven, giving an even crispier result. And if there is any left the next morning, it is absolutely fantastic for breakfast with a cup of coffee.