Apple crumle topping hardened on baking?

Question

My apple crumble topping came out hardened, i thought it should have a crumbly texture? What could have gone wrong i followed the recipe perfectly.

Answer 1

It may not necessarily be you or the recipe. It could be the lack of humidity in the air (which affects how hygroscopic your sugar will be), the age of the flour (older=dryer, usually).

If you want to ensure a more crumbly texture add a bit more butter to the mix and some brown sugar. It should get somewhat hard as the sugar caramelizes and mixes with the butter. When I blend my topping together it is the consistency of putty, or play-doh. Hope this helps.

Have fun baking!

Answer 2

I think maybe too much butter would make it do that. Try cutting down next time, that should help. Recipes aren't an exact science, if you use a different brand or at a different altitude or have a hotter oven than the recipe writer, it all makes a difference.