Raspberry Apple Crumble Tart

An Unexpected Feast

Bilbo Baggins’ world is turned upside down one ordinary morning when he is visited after breakfast by the wandering wizard Gandalf. Despite having fond childhood memories of the wizard, Bilbo is uncomfortable during the meeting, particularly at the suggestion of an adventure. A hasty invitation to tea, meant to send Gandalf on his way, has the unexpected consequence of sending Bilbo on the first of many life changing adventures.

The following day Gandalf keeps his appointment and brings with him a company of 13 dwarves. As the dwarves descend upon Bag End, one by one, they begin to call out their food orders. From drinks to savouries to sweets, Gandalf, Thorin, and company prove to have voracious and hearty appetites. Luckily for the dwarves, Bilbo’s pantry is well-stocked and their unexpected feast turns out to be quite the lavish and indulgent feast!

Raspberry jam and apple tart

As the dwarves in Thorin’s company arrive at Bag End hungry from their long journey, they happily call out their food requests. Bifur requests raspberry jam and an apple tart. While we don’t know if he intended to eat them together, this oat crumble tart combines tart raspberries with spiced apples for a delicious tea time treat. A buttery oat crumble crust encases the fruit filling for a twist on more traditional pastry dough. Topped with a dollop of whipped cream, this rustic tart is the perfect sweet and satisfying dessert best enjoyed on the eve of an exciting journey through Middle Earth!

“And raspberry jam and apple-tart,” said Bifur

-The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (Chapter 1: An Unexpected Party)

Ingredients

Apples: For baking I typically use Granny Smith apples, although you could choose a different variety if you prefer.

Raspberries: Use fresh or frozen raspberries. While I like using fresh raspberries, I did briefly freeze them for about an hour so that they would hold their shape while mixing the filling.

Oats: I used quick oats for the crumble.

Make the the crumble

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, quick oats, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda. Stir together. Melt the butter and add to the dry ingredients. Mix well until the butter is fully absorbed and the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.

Make the filling

Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Combine the apples and raspberries in a mixing bowl and drizzle with the lemon juice. Add the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg and toss together until the dry ingredients fully coat the fruit and there is no more loose powder.

Assemble the tart

Spray a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with non-stick spray. Add about two thirds of the crumble mixture to the tart pan. Press the crumble up the sides and over the bottom of the tart pan. Spoon the filling into the crust, pressing down gently to pack it lightly into the crust. The filing will be higher the edges of the tart, just smooth it into a rough dome shape.

Crumble the remaining crumb mixture over the filling, pressing it gently and evenly over the fruit.

Bake the tart

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the crust is browned and the apples are soft. Use a paring knife to check that the fruit is fully cooked inside. If the crumble begins to darken too much while the fruit is still hard, cover loosely with foil and continue baking until the apples are tender.

Serve the Raspberry Apple Crumble Tart

Allow the tart to cool for at least 30 minutes in the tart pan. If you try to remove it while still hot, crumble crust might break apart. Once the tart has cooled and tart crust is firmer, gently remove the sides of the tart pan. Use a thin spatula or flipper to separate the bottom of the tart from the pan and slide onto a serving platter. Let cool.

To serve, whip the cream. Combine the whipping cream and sugar in a mixer and whip until it forms soft peaks. Cut the tart into slices and top with a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!