Deconstructed Apple Crumble with Vanilla and Nutmeg Ice Cream

► by Pastry Chef Alicia Olton of the Coral Reef Club

This recipe takes a well-loved dessert, deconstructs it and infuses it with local flavours – something that Pastry Chef Alicia Olton loves to do for the ever-changing menu at the Coral Reef Club.

^{— Photography: Kenneth Theysen}

"We tend to take things that guests like and are more traditional, like apple pie, apple crumble, banoffee pie, and make it a little more fine dining”, says the seven-year veteran of the esteemed Holetown resort.

This recipe uses tart Granny Smith apples cooked down with sugar, butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon. The Bajan touch? The addition of a local dark rum for a richer caramel flavour, the sweet-spiced ice cream and the fresh ginger that she grates into the crumble.

“I like the smooth taste of the apples and the crunch of the crumble. With the ginger in there, there’s a little kick to it. And I just think vanilla ice cream makes everything taste good”, she says.

Truer words were never spoken.

---

Deconstructed Apple Crumble
Serves 6-8

PRINT THIS RECIPE

                   

Ingredients     

Caramelised Apples

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
4 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter
Mount Gay Eclipse brown rum
¼ tsp. cinnamon

Ginger-infused Crumble

200 g butter
200 g icing sugar
400 g flour
¼ tsp. baking powder
Dash cinnamon
Fresh ginger, grated

Sablé Cookies

280 g butter
150 g icing sugar
375 g flour
5 g salt
1 tsp. vanilla essence

Vanilla and Nutmeg
Ice Cream

1 vanilla bean
10 egg yolks
250 g sugar
500 ml milk
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
500 ml heavy cream

Fresh apple wafers

To garnish, optional

---

Caramelised Apples

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat.

2. Cook the sugar until it caramelises.

3. Add the apples and the cinnamon, stirring occasionally until golden.

4. Deglaze the pan with the rum.

5. Set aside.
   
   

Ginger-infused Crumble

1. Cream the butter and sugar.

2. Add the remaining crumble ingredients and shape into a ball.

3. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, then remove and grate on the large side of a grater.

4. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 175˚C until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
   
   

Sablé Cookies

1. Mix all ingredients and shape into a ball.

2. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

3. Remove from fridge and roll out pastry on a floured surface to 1 cm thick.

4. Cut into 10 cm diameter circles or the size and shape of your choice.

5. Bake at 175˚C for 7-10 minutes.
   
   

Vanilla and Nutmeg Ice Cream

1. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape the insides into a medium bowl along with the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk to combine.

2. In a saucepan, bring the milk, nutmeg and scraped vanilla pod to a boil.

3. When the milk boils, slowly pour about ½ cup of it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Then pour the entire yolk mixture slowly back into the saucepan, whisking often so the eggs don’t scramble or stick to the pan.

4. Cook until the mixture reaches 85˚C on a candy thermometer.

5. Strain into a heatproof bowl and whisk in the heavy cream.

6. Cool on an ice bath.

7. Pour into an ice cream machine and churn.

8. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.
   
   

To Serve

1. Set some of the crumble on each plate in a rectangle.

2. Place the caramelised apples on top of the crumble.

3. Place a sablé cookie at one edge of each plate and scoop the ice cream onto it.

4. Sprinkle with more crumble.

5. Garnish with fresh apple wafers.

---

APPLES TO APPLES

If you can’t find Granny Smith apples, use other apples with a high acidity, such as Braeburn, Cortland, Pink Lady, Northern Spy, Gala or Fuji.

---