Apple Crumble with Hot Custard Sauce

You know how when you’re making something and you have this vivid sense of how you hope it’s going to taste, and then it ends up being even better than you imagined?  Well, that didn’t happen here.

Perhaps my expectations exceeded the possibilities, but I knew exactly how I wanted this to taste, and sadly, it fell just a little short.  There was no way this could not be good, but I wanted it to be great. 

There are three components to this dish and each seemed to need a little somethin’.  The apple compote needed a little cinnamon and nutmeg and maybe some salt; the crumble needed some texture, maybe some nuts or oats; and the custard needed a flavor boost, which I think should come in the form of some rum and a little more sugar.

I have such mixed feelings about saying anything negative about this, because it really was awfully good.  The husband loved it.  I just couldn’t get over my hopes and dreams for how awesome it could have been.  

Apple Crumble with Hot Custard Sauce

Click here for a printable recipe

For the Crumble:

12 apples (such as granny smith, jonathan, golden delicious)

½ cup sugar

2 cups flour

1 ½ cups brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cloves

8 T butter, cut into pieces

For the Custard:

2 1/3 cups milk

¼ cup sugar

4 T butter, melted

¼ cup flour

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the crumble:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Peel, core and slice the apples.  Place the apples and 1 cup water into a large, deep skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until some of the apples are very soft, 20 to 30 minutes.  Stir in sugar and transfer to a large baking dish.  Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a large bowl.  Work butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, then spread over apples.  Bake until golden, 40-45 minutes.

For the Custard:  Warm milk in a medium pan over medium heat.  Meanwhile, whisk sugar, butter, flour and egg together in a large bowl.  Whisk 1 cup of the milk into the sugar-flour mixture.  Gradually add mixture back into the milk in the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until thick, 5-8 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add vanilla.

Serve crumble with some hot custard spooned on top.