Apple + ginger caramel crumble slice
It's the best of both worlds. Part ginger-spiked apple crumble, part smooth and rich caramel slice. I don't know about you, but I can't think of a more mouth-watering combo. Lightly cooking the apples first to make a compote means they bake to a beautiful tenderness that melds together with the caramel and oaty ginger crumble. It's sure to become a new favourite!
Top Tip - be sure to wait a few hours after baking for it to chill in the fridge before cutting - this ensures the caramel is nicely set. Best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
hands-on time
20 minutes
1 hour (+ cooling time)
total time
makes
1 large rectangular tin
Ingredients
Crumble mixture
300g butter, chopped into small cubes
100g soft brown sugar
100g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g plain flour
150g rolled oats
50g desiccated coconut
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
Apple compote
3 medium apples, peeled and diced into small 1cm cubes
juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp light soy sauce
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp water
Ginger caramel
2x 395g cans sweetened condensed milk
150g butter, chopped into small cubes
120g golden syrup
2 tsp ground ginger
¾ tsp sea salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional). Grease and line a large rectangular baking tin (approx. 33cm x 23cm) with baking paper so that the baking paper hangs over the edges (you will use this to lift the slice from the tin).
For the crumble mixture, heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Remove from the heat, add the sugars and vanilla, and whisk until well-combined. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, rolled oats, coconut, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and sea salt. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon to form a soft crumble mixture. Press two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared baking tin to form a flat and even layer that covers the base (you can use the bottom of a glass to do this). Set aside the remaining crumble mixture for later. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a little while you make the apple compote and ginger caramel.
For the apple compote, place the chopped apples, lemon juice, maple syrup, soy sauce, vanilla, ground ginger and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once bubbling, cook for 5 minutes until the apples are almost tender. In a small cup, whisk together the cornflour and water until smooth. Add to the apples and cook for a further minute until the liquid surrounding the apples is nicely thickened. Spoon the apple compote evenly over the crumble base in a single layer.
To make the ginger caramel, place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the caramel, stirring intermittently, until the butter melts, the caramel just starts to bubble, and has thickened slightly.
Pour the hot caramel over the apple compote and crumble base, smoothing with the back of a spoon to form an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture evenly over the caramel. Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven, leave to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then refrigerate for 4 hours to completely set before cutting. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.