Playgroup News

Cozy Days, Sweet Treats & Easter Playtime Fun 

As the weather starts to cool down, what could be better than a delicious apple crumble? 

This past fortnight at playgroup has been full of fun with Easter crafts, colouring in, and of course many of our favourites like felt pictures, the dollhouse, and the wooden train set.

We hope you all have a lovely Easter and a restful term break. 🐣🌸

DONNA O'CONNOR

Playgroup Coordinator

Apple Crumble

Servings: 6-8 

Prep Time: 15 mins 

Cook Time: 40 mins

Author: Nagi 

A filling of tender, cinnamon laced apples topped with a nubbly crunchy, golden topping. You’ll love how this Apple Crumble isn’t overly sweet, and how the filling is syrupy and jammy, rather than watery or dry. The smell when this is cooking is everything!

Ingredients

Apple Filling

▢ 2 lb / 1kg Granny Smith Apples (green apples), weight before peeling

▢ 1 tbsp flour, plain / all-purpose

▢ 1/2 cup white sugar (sub brown sugar)

▢ 2 tbsp lemon juice (or water)

▢ 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Topping

▢ 1 cup rolled oats / oatmeal (quick cooking is ok)

▢ 1 cup flour, plain / all-purpose

▢ 1 cup (loosely packed) brown sugar (sub white sugar)

▢ 1/2 tsp baking powder

▢ 1 tsp cinnamon powder

▢ 125g / 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

▢ Pinch of salt

To Serve

▢ Vanilla ice cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (both fan and standard).
• Apple – Peel apples, then cut into 1.5cm/ 1/2” cubes.
• Apple filling – Place apples in a bowl. Sprinkle with flour, sugar and cinnamon, then pour over lemon juice. Toss, then spread out evenly in a 1.5 litre baking dish. 
• Crumble topping – Place Topping ingredients in a bowl. Mix until clumps form, like wet sand (see video). Spread over the apples, crumbling with fingers if required to get that crumbly topping.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove, cover loosely with foil to keep warm and let stand for 10 minutes before serving (let the apple syrup thicken slightly).
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Notes:

My family loved this apple crumble – to make this faster, I used 2 tins of pie/tinned apples instead. Tip them into your oven dish and mix in the flour and cinnamon but not the water, lemon juice or the sugar – the apples should be sweet enough - then crumble on the topping and bake. I also reduced the cooking time by about 5-10 minutes as the apples do not need cooking. Please note that the apples will become like a stewed apple, there will be no form to the apples. I like it both ways. Serve warm with ice cream, custard or vanilla yogurt.