Apple Sbriciolata

The apple sbriciolata is an Italian delight, a variant of the more classic sbriciolata that is usually made with ricotta and jam. The preparation consists of a soft and crunchy crumble that encloses a heart of sweet and spiced apples. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 300 g 00 flour
• 200 g cold butter, cubed
• 150 g granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 3-4 apples (Golden or another variety to taste)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A pinch of nutmeg (optional)
• Juice of half a lemon
• Powdered sugar for decoration (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by peeling and cutting the apples into small cubes. Mix them with the lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, then set aside.

2. For the crumbly dough, place the flour, baking powder, sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.

3. Add the cold butter cut into cubes and begin working everything together with your fingertips until you obtain a sandy mixture. Then incorporate the egg and yolk and continue mixing until you have a more homogeneous but still “crumbly” dough.

4. Take a springform pan (about 24 cm in diameter), lined with parchment paper, and pour about two-thirds of the crumbly dough, pressing it lightly on the bottom.

5. Spread the spiced apples over the layer of dough in the pan, then sprinkle the remaining crumbly dough over the apples, without pressing too much.

6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 40-45 minutes or until the surface is golden.

7. Once baked, let the apple sbriciolata cool before removing the ring of the pan. To finish, dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Fun Facts

The sbriciolata can be customized in many ways; some add dried fruit such as walnuts or almonds to the crumbly dough to add crunch. Others prefer a pastry cream heart with apples for a richer and more indulgent texture.