Gluten-free apple and ginger crumble

It’s Bramley Apple Week and I don’t need much persuading to get my Bramleys out for this delicious crumble. Bramleys have exactly the right balance of acidity and sweetness for baking, which is why they're my personal apple of choice for crumbles. If your taste buds have other ideas, by all means swap them for your favoured apple variety or anything else you’ve got lurking in the fruit bowl, but crumbles are best when they're not too tooth-achingly sweet. A little tartness is needed to balance the sugary crunch of the topping.

The gentle heat of ginger gives this apple crumble a pleasant kick – perfect for winter weather – and makes a nice change from the usual cinnamon. I served this for pudding with a generous splodge of vanilla custard when my parents came round for lunch. My dad thought it was so delicious he asked for a second helping – high praise indeed from a man who is naturally suspicious of anything gluten-free. This is wheat-free baking at its best. Comforting, nostalgic, delicious and as simple to make as it gets.