Eat comfort food.
I am not normally the person to conform to comfort eating, but this weekend curled up in bed feeling sorry for myself, i needed it. Yes i needed it. I dont recommend it. But this weekend i needed, i needed something warm, something full of butter and sugary goodness, something like a Big Crumb Coffee Cake…
Of course, well not of course, but just because they are cheaper i replaced the rhubarb with green apples, so i give you…
Apple Crumble Slice
Stuff you’ll need
For filling 1:
- 2 green apples, peeled cored and sliced
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
For filling 2:
- 3 green apples, peeled cored and sliced
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/8 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the crumbs:
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, melted
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour (I was out and used all-purpose and it worked great)
For the cake:
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup cake flour (ditto on the all-purpose flour–worked just fine)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons softened butter, cut into 8 pieces.
How i did it
Right so first i preheated the oven to about 18o deg cel and prepared a slice tin (30x20cm). I put all the ingredient for filling one in a bowl, stirred and set aside. Then i put all the ingredient for filling two in a saucepan put it on high and when the water boiled, i reduced the heat to a simmer and let the apples soften and the liquid reduce. Make sure you keep a constant eye on the apples as if the liquid evaporates to quickly the apples will burn – ive done that plenty of times before to have learned my lesson, so keep stirring and keep watching! 
Once the both types of apples are prepared set aside. For the crumbs combine the sugars and spices in a bowl and stir together, then add the melted butter and combine. Mix in the flour until it becomes a soft dough, i found that the qtys stated above made the crumbs a little dry so either add more melted butter or lessen the flour. Once you have a soft dough set aside with the apples.
Click on the image to zoom in for a closer look!
Did anyone ever tell you i was a messy cook? Well i am, i really really am… But i am also a wonderful cleaner!
I prepared the cake precisely as the original recipe stated. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and a spoonful of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until flour is moistened. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition, and scraping down the sides of bowl with a spatula.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin, place the apples marinated in the ginger on the batter, then scoop the soften apples in cinnamon over the first batch of apples. Once you have layered all the apples, crumble the prepared dough over the top, make the crumbles uneven in size for the best finish.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for around 40-50 minutes, checking in after 20 & 30 minutes to make sure the top isnt burning & the cake isnt overcooking. If the cake is still not cooked but the crumbs are getting very brown, cover with foil and keep cooking. I covered with foil after about 30 minutes.
Once cooked to your liking remove from the oven, cut yourself a massive slice, take to your bed and enjoy with a good girly movie, or like i did an episode of Greys Anatomy…
OH OH OH, and dont forget the second and thirds helpings!
