Move over, traditional puddings. A culinary revolution is sweeping across British kitchens, and it's starting with the nation's most beloved dessert: the apple crumble.
Michelin-starred chef Simon Wood, a champion of MasterChef, has sent shockwaves through the food world by revealing his audacious secret to creating the ultimate apple crumble. His trick? Abandoning pure sweetness and introducing a deeply savoury, umami-rich ingredient that promises to redefine this classic comfort food.
The Secret's in the Sauce... Or Rather, The Paste
So, what is this magical component? Forget exotic spices or rare fruits. Chef Wood's game-changing addition is something many of us already have in our kitchen cupboards: miso paste.
He passionately advocates for stirring a spoonful of white miso paste directly into the apple filling before topping it with the classic buttery, oaty crumble. This might sound like culinary heresy, but the result is nothing short of extraordinary.
Why Miso Makes The Magic
The science behind this surprising pairing is simple yet brilliant. Miso, a fermented soybean paste, is packed with umami—the elusive fifth taste known for its deep, savoury, and mouth-watering quality.
When mingled with the sharpness of Bramley apples and the familiar sweetness of brown sugar, the miso doesn't make the dessert taste savoury. Instead, it performs a kind of flavour alchemy:
- Depth & Complexity: It adds a profound depth that pure sugar can't achieve, making the overall flavour profile more rounded and sophisticated.
- Enhanced Sweetness: The umami notes actually work to enhance and complement the natural sweetness of the fruit, making it taste richer and more intense.
- A Restaurant-Worthy Twist: This small addition transforms a simple home bake into a dessert that wouldn't be out of place on the menu of a high-end restaurant.
How To Master The Miso Crumble
Ready to try it yourself? Chef Wood's method is straightforward. Prepare your usual apple crumble filling, but as you're stewing your apples with sugar and a dash of cinnamon, fold in one tablespoon of white miso paste per four servings.
Ensure it's fully dissolved and incorporated into the filling. The miso will melt away, leaving no distinct taste of its own but bestowing an incredible richness that will have your guests wondering what your secret is.
Top with your favourite crumble mixture and bake until golden and bubbling. The final result is a warm, comforting, and inexplicably moreish dessert that retains all the homely charm of the original, but with a powerful, modern upgrade.
This bold tip challenges the very foundations of British baking and is set to spark debate in dining rooms from Land's End to John O'Groats. Will you be brave enough to give it a try?
