TO MAKE THE CRUMBLE

Peel 6 apples and remove the cores to begin your apple crumble.

Cut the apples into small cubes and put them into a small saucepan filled with water. Make sure the water covers the top of the apples

Boil the apples on a medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until they begin to soften.

Melt a small amount of butter and using a pastry brush, spread a layer on the base and sides of the baking tin being sure to cover all the edges so that the apple crumble doesn’t stick to it!

Pour a small amount of flour inside and roll the tray around so the flour sticks to the butter and forms a thin layer on the bottom and sides.

Put 400g of flour in a large mixing bowl and add 150g sugar and 2 teaspoons of baking powder.

Use the rind of either ½ or a whole lemon (depending on your taste).

Break up 150g of butter (make sure it is room temperature) into small pieces and add it to the mixture. Using your hands, squeeze and break the butter until it begins to bind with the flour.

Create a small well in the middle of the mixture and add 1 x whole egg and 1 yolk only.

Add a tablespoon of vanilla extract, mix it together beating it well into the eggs with your fingers and then fold it into the mixture using your hands.

Continue mixing and you will start to notice that small crumbs begin to form. Continue this process using both hands until the entire mixture forms into balls of different sizes, becoming the pastry for your apple crumble!

Prehear the oven to 160 degrees.

Back to the apples! Remove any excess water from the saucepan, making sure it is level with the apples. The, add 60g of caster sugar and up to 3-4 tablespoons of cinnamon (use as little or as much as you like!) to your apple mix and stir it through.

Once the crumble is ready, sprinkle a handful of it over the base of the pan forming the bottom layer. Continue to do this until the base is around 1 cm high and the sides are slightly higher.

After the apples have mixed well with the cinnamon and sugar, add them to the top of the crumble using a tablespoon, making sure not to get much of the syrup as this will moisten the cake too much and it may collapse.

Pour a small amount of juice on top, spreading it over the apples.

Starting from the edges, use the rest of the crumble to create the top layer and cover all of the apples really well.

Once it is covered, shake the tin gently side to side so that you make the top layer nice and even.

Put the apple crumble in the oven for 40 minutes at 160 degrees.

HOW TO MAKE THE CREAM

Mix 250g mascarpone and 2 heaped tablespoons of icing sugar in a small mixing bowl really well until the sugar dissolves.

Add ½ lemon rind (grated very finely) and mix through.

E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!