Air Fryer Apple and Blood Orange Crumble
A quick and simple crumble cooked in the air fryer, combining sweet apples with blood orange and a buttery crunchy topping. Served with vanilla mascarpone and mint for a refined dessert in just 20 minutes.
Steps
- 1
Peel, core and dice the apples into small cubes. Mix with cinnamon and orange marmalade.
- 2
Grate the zest of the blood orange and squeeze the juice. Add zest and juice to the apple mixture and stir to combine.
- 3
Divide the apple mixture evenly between two ramekins that fit in your air fryer.
- 4
In a bowl, combine cold cubed butter, sugar and flour. Rub the butter into the flour and sugar with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- 5
Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the apples in each ramekin.
- 6
Place the ramekins in the air fryer basket and cook at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes, until the topping is golden and the apples are tender.
- 7
In a small bowl, mix mascarpone with vanilla sugar until creamy.
- 8
Serve the crumble warm, topped with a spoonful of vanilla mascarpone and garnished with fresh mint leaves.
Shopping list
2 apples, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp orange marmalade, 1 blood orange, 60 g cold butter, 40 g sugar, 75 g all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp mascarpone, 1 tbsp vanilla sugar, mint, 2 cocottes (ramekins)
Recipe story
Crumble is a traditional British dessert that originated during World War II when food rationing led to simple recipes using basic ingredients like flour, butter, and sugar. Blood orange, native to Sicily, was introduced to Europe in the 17th century and became prized for its distinctive color and flavor. The combination of apples and oranges reflects Mediterranean culinary influences on British cuisine. Cooking in an air fryer modernizes this classic dessert, preserving its crunchy texture while reducing preparation time.
Ingredient Secrets
Cinnamon
In ancient Rome, cinnamon was more precious than gold, used in sacred rituals and royal perfumes. Legends told of fabulous birds called cinnamologus that built their nests from cinnamon sticks on inaccessible cliff tops. The cinnamon trade was long shrouded in mystery, with Arab merchants inventing fantastic stories to protect their sources.
Vanilla
Vanilla, native to Mexico, was discovered by Spanish conquistadors who brought it to Europe in the 16th century. In Aztec culture, vanilla was used to flavor a royal cocoa drink. For centuries, hand-pollination was a closely guarded secret, and it wasn't until 1841 that a 12-year-old slave on Réunion discovered the method that allowed widespread cultivation.
Mint
In ancient Rome, mint was so valued that students wore wreaths of its leaves to stimulate their minds, and guests received fresh sprigs as a sign of hospitality. Legend has it that the goddess Minerva transformed the nymph Mentha into a fragrant plant, giving birth to mint.
