Crumble

Crumble

To break food into small irregular pieces by hand or with a fork. Also a baked dessert of fruit under a rubbed topping of flour, butter and sugar (the crumble topping).

Example: crumbled feta or goat cheese on a salad; crumbled bacon; apple crumble.

Crumble Topping

A rubbed mixture of flour, butter and sugar — sometimes with oats, nuts or spices — scattered over fruit before baking to form a crunchy layer.

Example: apple and blackberry crumble; streusel on muffins and coffee cakes.

Chef’s tip: rub cold butter into the dry ingredients to a sandy texture, and chill the crumble before baking for extra crunch.