As above. When I've made fruit crumble in the past the topping has been like stodge (very unappetising) and as we're about to have a glut of apples and blackberries I need to think about how to use them up! What's your favourite crumble combination? Any suggestions gratefully received!

I'm no cook but, equal amounts of flour (prefer brown), sugar (brown), butter & oats; combine (as little handling as possible or it can end up like flapjacks), cover fruit & into oven. Apple & blackberries can't be beaten.

Must say never had a problem whatever amount of flour I use I add half the amount of fat and sugar (say 6oz flour, 3 butter and 3 sugar) and sometimes add about 2oz of ground almonds. Never add water to the fruit and if pos. choose a fruit that is not too wet - my favourite is apricot. As you are trying to use up a glut of apple if they are very juicy then try adding some sultanas or other dried fruit to help absorb the excess juice or cook fruit first with dry fruit or thicken with arrowroot or drain off excess juice before adding topping. Oh, must make some apricot crumble tomorrow with nuts in the topping you have me salivating; it is good hot or cold.

Edit to add I 'rub' the fat in using a food processor when it is warm your hands can make it sticky. Apple sponge is nice as well cook both for about 45 min to get a nice crunchy top although you can do the sponge in the microwave if in a rush but it is not so good.

I do much the same as Lacy. I always use Demerara sugar in the crumble and soft brown sugar with the fruit (although as little as I can get away with). I blend the fat/flour/oats in a food processor on the 'pulse' setting, then add the sugar and pour straight onto the fruit, so there is little risk of it going 'stodgy'.

My Granny's recipe book reads as follows: 6 oz self raising flour, 3 oz margarine or butter, 2-3 oz sugar, pinch of salt. I don't like stewed fruit alas, but my Mum used to make me a little dish of just the crumble topping and it was always delicious!

As above - 6-3-3 formation!  Whatever weight you use of flour/butter/sugar, use 6 parts to 3 to 3.  I've never been able to make crumble at all til I found that out from youtube and I can do it perfectly every time now!

Other tips - use Trex veg lard, friend of mine is a superb cook and used to do 200 puddings a day at a school and she swears by it.  As far as I'm concerned her word is gospel when it comes to food :-)  And, she also says to use only demerera sugar.  I've dutifully followed these things - and I've used plain flour, not self raising but I don't think it matters (as long as you allow room in the tray for the raising, I did a bad batch years ago with SR and ended up with a nearly permanent ring of not-crumble on the bottom of my oven :-P) - and got lovely crumbles with raspberries, rhubarb, and rhubarb & raisin in the freezer waiting for winter :-)

Not a fan of crumbles here, but I love using fruit to make a coulis/sauce to go with ice-cream.  I bought some greengages on impulse at the market last week, too sour to eat, but made them into a sweetened thick sauce which was just gorgeous poured on ice-cream. And I experimented - apparently crystallised ginger pieces soften up and go amazingly well with greengages.

Front garden's gone a bit rampant this year and there is a bramble dripping with big blackberries, so these will be cooked into a fruit sauce and probably frozen, then could then be used for a pie or a crumble months ahead, or just thawed and used as an ice-cream sauce.

Well, I've just used the 6 ; 3 ; 3 combo, and it came out perfect, I also used Raymond Blanc's suggestion, and cooked the crumble topping separately, worked a treat, lovely crisp topping.

I cooked the topping seperately, worked a treat, also I experiemented with toppings and used a bit of muesli with dried fruits and it was a big hit.

My recipe is 8oz flour, 4oz marg and 2 of gran sugar.  Always worked well but ensure there isn't too much juice with the fruit or put the crumble mix on too early before cooking.

I like the crumble more than the filling and I like it sweet so I use 9:4:4 always butter. Comes out like a shortbread type topping, very crisp and yummy.