How to Make Apple and Crumb Pudding - The Victorian Way

[@EnglishHeritage]

Here are the answers to some questions you may have about this recipe, from our expert Dr Annie Gray: • Isn’t this just crumble but with breadcrumbs? No, it’s a breadcrumb and apple pudding. Bread was one of the most consumed foodstuffs in the Victorian era, and inevitably that meant finding ingenious ways to use it when it got stale. Breadcrumb-based puddings came in all sorts of guises but this layered type was one of the most popular. • Why doesn’t Mrs Crocombe cook a crumble? Crumble hadn’t been invented yet. We tend to think of crumble as quintessentially British, and assume it goes back for centuries, but it’s actually a Depression-era dish which received some limited exposure during the Second World War, and wasn’t popularised in Britain until the 1950s. The topping uses the same ingredients as sweet shortcrust pastry, but much less of them, so it was ideal for ekeing out rations and giving a crispy, pastry-like boost to fruit puddings. But it simply wasn’t a technique Mrs Crocombe would have known. • What kind of fruit can I use? Absolutely anything which will mulch down a little bit when cooked. Anything, really, that you might use for a crumble if you were born 100 years after Mrs Crocombe. You could try rhubarb, gooseberries, pears, quinces, medlars, blackberries, raspberries or plums. If you are using apples, don’t use Bramley though. You want something which will retain a little bit of texture. You could, however, mix bramleys with an eating apple such as a Braeburn. • Did Mrs Crocombe say lemons were grown at Audley? And what’s this about forcing fruit? Yes, they were. The Victorians were masterful fruit and vegetable growers, and Audley End, like every other country house, had acres of growing space. This included glasshouses, heated with coal, for growing hothouse fruit such as grapes and citrus, as well as hotbeds heated with rotting manure. The contemporary terms were ‘forcing’ to force a plant to produce before it would normally, and ‘retarding’ to slow growth and make it fruit after it normally would.

[@DS-jl3cl]

Love your content! Brings joy to my day💛

[@leandrobravo3319]

Thank you very much for some more information. I enjoy learning in bite-size portions a lot.

[@raraavis7782]

Thanks for the thorough explanation!

[@keithmora3708]

The most important question however: Where IS that girl Mary-Anne?!? *Don’t think we didn’t notice the less-than-ginger placement of the bowl in the beginning. 😉

[@gmoo84]

Great info!

[@jayoudshoorn5392]

Last video she said that Queen Victoria's golden jubilee would be in 6 years (1887) so right then would be 1881. The real avis crocombe left Audley End House in 1884 to get married. That means that we only have 3 years left of this

[@eelwithheels]

Oh god two years I'm scared

[@sst-du9bz]

Mrs. Crocombe: *stares intently into my soul* “there is no excuse for throwing away bread” Me: *trembling* “yes ma’am!”

[@mormand5003]

same!

[@chocolatnoir1108]

ʜᴀʜᴀ 𝙃𝘼𝙃𝘼 😄

[@BriiCosgallaMakeup]

Not me forgeting about some buns untill they're black with mold 😅

[@gggggg-hs2tk]

​@@BriiCosgallaMakeup Mrs. Crocombe would like to know your location

[@henrikhyrup3995]

@@gggggg-hs2tk she already knows BrilCosgallaMakeup's location. She just hasn't found the time to strike....yet....!

[@AbsolutelyAmel]

"There's no excuse for throwing away stale bread, There is always a use for stale bread" I've never been called out, reprimanded and taught a lesson in the same sentence before. Mrs. Crocombe really knows her stuff! Gonna have to try this sometime :)

[@rcole9365]

I heard this before...and ignored it several times..but now, coming from Mrs Croc.. im so sorry🙈

[@Bella_loves_music]

It’s really good for homemade croutons and also baked French toast ( you soak it over night so it’s like a sponge soaking up water.) Stuffing, bread crumbs, good for meatloaf.. lots’a things

[@Vassi_Drakonov]

I would feed them to the birds in my backyard. That's still better than throwing them away, right? 😅

[@carolinarey8945]

I confirm: is like a SIN ☺️

[@MissingRaptor]

Also bread puddings. Stale bread is essential for them.

[@Pakkens_Backyard]

"but you don't have the time, or the inclination, or perhaps even the money" ok she really just called us out as overworked, lazy, AND poor all in ONE sentence ...I'll just go lay down and cry

[@mrjones2721]

She’s the culinary version of Judge Rinder-someone you watch when you want to feel both edified and scolded.

[@pollydolly9723]

My granny used breadcrumbs in a lot of dishes, both sweet and savoury. Her two cooking sayings were "let me throw on another potato" and "this won't be enough, go fetch my crumb jar". Everything was very impoverished Irish...and delicious!

[@Bildgesmythe]

My mom used to cut the meat in smaller pieces and add a potato if unexpected guests showed up. Then top with the crumbs!

[@picantesworld7723]

My grandmother used stale bread to put in her meatballs, nothing gone to waste 😊

[@DianeGraft]

I want an apron with a drawing of Mrs. Crocombe on it, that says "For this recipe, you will need....."

[@Kymmee2100]

And, on the pocket: "For decoration, I'll just add pigeon feet."

[@That.Lady.withtheYarn]

Are we all haunted by the pigeon feet?

[@Kymmee2100]

@@That.Lady.withtheYarn Yes. But only in the most Victorian way. 🤭

[@maineymaine1295]

Once again, a recipe I can do and it’s for the servants 😂 thank you for thinking of us, Mrs. C!

[@Kymmee2100]

😊😅😂🎉

[@pekkajohannesvirkkula7473]

In Finland we have very similar dish. Instead of breadcrumbs we use oatmeal 😊

[@jeaniecox6575]

In the United States we do the same and call it apple crisp. 😊

[@Bo_RANnl3]

That sounds delicious. What is the name of the dish?

[@pekkajohannesvirkkula7473]

@@Bo_RANnl3 Hi😍 Name of the dish is Omenahyve.

[@Loulizabeth]

Yes I can't help thinking this is the beginnings of what in the UK eventually became 'Apple Crumble'. Now we don't tend to use breadcrumbs but a mixture of flour, sugar, butter mixed to a breadcrumb texture and often including oats too. Plus it's normally only 1 layer now on the top of the fruit. How thick that layer of crumble topping will vary from person to person some have a relatively thick layer while others are verging on 1/2 an inch thick of crumble.

[@МаринаРодичева-и2ъ]

Похоже на пирог " три стакана". Вместо сухарей мука, манка и сахар. Яблок много и очень сочные.

[@sweeney60]

How is this not still a popular dish? It’s beyond easy and economical. And who doesn’t love apple with cinnamon and crumbs ?

[@butterknife1066]

I mean, it is still a thing. The modern version is called Brown Betty

[@sweeney60]

I didn’t say it wasn’t around, I meant it wasn’t as well known. Compare this to apple crumble, crisp or cobbler.

[@wildwine6400]

Its pretty much one of the most popular desserts in the UK, Apple Crumble. You get Rhubarb Crumble too. We don't use breadcrumbs now, we use a crumb mix which is similar to a simple biscuit mix but turned into crumbs

[@labaccident2010]

@@wildwine6400oooh, my mom makes rhubarb and blueberry crumble.

[@plingploong]

​@@wildwine6400Apple crumble, fruit crumbles in general are amazing

[@kcvinwehoLA]

I stand chastened by Mrs C’s rebuke about not discarding stale bread! What a delicious way to use it up, and plain vanilla custard sounds delightful, too.

[@thedarkdane7]

Sometimes I feel it is an absolute honor to watch Mrs Crocombe at work.

[@matthewjay660]

"There is no excuse for throwing away bread. There is always a use for stale bread." -Mrs. Crocombe A-men. Preach! 🙏🏻🍞

[@MossyMozart]

@matthewjay660 - Yes, Mrs Crocombe - I use mine to pad out the garbage can.

[@fabfer7122]

"... but as it's JUST for the servants, this is plain vanilla custard." love her

[@thebusybee957]

I literally have made this 3 times since this episode has come out, super duper easy!! We love pre soaking the apple slices in bourbon!

[@imreallytired7335]

Now THAT'S an idea! I might try that when I make this later 🤔

[@imreallytired7335]

I forgor 💀

[@SharpAssKnittingNeedles]

Now that's an upgrade! Rum would be killer too 😋

[@imreallytired7335]

@@SharpAssKnittingNeedles ooo, that's another great idea! Spiced rum would be AWESOME with this 🤤

[@SharpAssKnittingNeedles]

@@imreallytired7335 especially a dark spiced rum like kraken 🤤

[@kirstenpaff8946]

If your kitchen maid is away...translation: If you're a peasant who can't afford an army of staff.

[@aud9931]

I love these videos, they are so comforting to me. Mrs. Crocombe’s actress does a lovely job. She definitely reminds me of my grandmother, who had the same no nonsense but kind demeanor. Thanks for making them!

[@sh2bn]

イギリスのプティング､全部食べてみたいんよね。留学してる時結構好きだったんよ。 I want to try all British puddings.When I studied in the UK a few decades ago,I really loved eating puddings.

[@lees5073]

I'm acquainted with this dish. My great great grandmother was a late Victorian, never discarded a piece of bread. She made it herself so she knew its value. My great grandmother passed on her wisdom and I adhere to it! I prefer to make my own bread, including quick breads, muffins, corn and brown bread here in the US. My daughter does the same. Leftover white bread gets air dried and smashed with the rolling pin and stored in airtight bags.Other things get dried out sort of in the kitchen and are used from airtight bags but stored in the fridge. Anything that is not completely dried needs to be used first. Waste not want not.😅

[@nunyabiznes33]

How do you air-dry white bread crispy? I leave it out for half a day and when I come back there's enough mold on it to terraform Mars.

[@lees5073]

@@nunyabiznes33 If you have a humidity problem in your area, try tearing up the loaf of bread and spreading it out on a sheet pan. Put in the oven overnight on warm. You should do much better with this method. Also, store-bought sliced white bread is not what you want. It's pretty poor quality. You want sourdough, Italian, French, Cuban, sturdy stuff.

[@jeraldbaxter3532]

I've said it before, and I will say it again, Mrs. Crocombe entering her kitchen is a master class in how to sashay with authority!

[@christinebutler7630]

Very reminiscent of cobbler, which in the south does the same thing- a delicious fruit dessert without having to make pastry. It can also be made in a Dutch oven, and in the heat of a southern summer, you dont light an oven unless you have to!

[@martynnotman3467]

A "Dutch Oven" means something VERY different over here 😂

[@katekat1064]

The music in the beginning soothes me.

[@jaguar4120]

Same. Wish there is a longer version of the song.

[@anitanalley2417]

Thank you, English Heritage and Dr. Gray. Always delighted to see and hear the world of Audley House. This has given me ideas for our backyard pear tree in California, if it explodes with fruit as it did last year. And pears don't last forever. Now on an important point: what did you do with OUR undergardener. There's not enough cinnamon for the pudding without Edgar!

[@uptoolate2793]

Edgar fled. The comments got too thirsty for him. Or more pointedly, the comments got too thirsty for English Heritage. Probably.

[@bnorem09]

It doesn’t matter if she’s making an apple crumb pudding, marmalade water ice, or arsenic and lead stew, every time she lists the ingredients my mind goes to the Novympia parody when she says “cayern peppern” “armonds” and “turbot”

[@mrjones2721]

That parody is how I discovered her, and it’s painfully accurate.

[@leightonolsson4846]

"Here at Audley House, we source our own salt by distilling Mary-Ann's tears..."

[@Gargoyleswife]

I made this tonight to go with dinner because my son asked me to make it but I used peaches instead of apples because I can't eat apples. This was so good. 🙂 Thank you so much.

[@Timinator0815]

"As it's just for the servants this is plain vanilla custard" - The queen of shade, she's back!

[@Lilas.Duveteux]

I am currently learning how to bake rye bread, and rye bread is...tricky. I will soon start my third try at it, and hopefully, I corrected a lot of previous mistakes so it should play nicely. Leaves a lot of unedible crums as I am learning, and I don't put them to waist. It leaves me a lot of crums that make the most wonderful chocolate pudding. I inspired myself from the recipe mentionned here, only I use either plain milk or condensed milk as a base liquid and used some baking, sugarless chocolate we bought for New Year hot chocolate. The result is rich, creamy, thick and almost browny-like. Yum ! Thanks English Heritage for your cooking wonderful ideas !

[@jurikuran333]

Thank you English Heritage, we cant get enough of Mrs. Crocombe and her piercing eyes 😆 It always makes me happy when I see a new video of our cook queen 😍

[@LindaB651]

I'm going through the English Heritage channel, and watching any older posts featuring Mrs. Crocombe that I hadn't previously seen. This particular recipe reminds me of "apple brown-Betty," but somewhat deconstructed. It can be easily applied to any number of fruits, abundance/scarcity of ingredients, and personal preferences. And I NEVER waste stale bread (the large jar of home made bread crumbs in my pantry bears witness!) Bread is costly, we really shouldn't be wasting food, and so many wonderful things can be made from the crumb. For example, my last Wednesday's meatloaf. Love your character, Mrs. Crocombe!

[@effervescentsloth5132]

Oh! Apple Brown Betty! (In another time) Truly a blessing for all of us with tiny kitchens and tinier patience for pastry making.

[@AC00009]

That “just” contains so much shade in one word. That’s why we love Mrs. Crocombe.

[@gardnerhill9073]

I make a similar layered casserole for Thanksgiving in the U.S., using peeled and sliced sweet potatoes - dotting each layer with butter and then dusting with autumn spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove) before the next layer - or in addition spread a little bit of applesauce between layers. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Simple and superb.

[@mewregaurdhissyfit7733]

I'm not big on apple, but I'd definitely eat anything Mrs. Crocombe makes!!! I keep forgetting "pudding" is not the same thing in the USA as it is in England. LOL

[@auntiedough2488]

Missed you Mrs Crocombe!

[@triskerslake3763]

My Nan used to make this, though she also used to sprinkle a little sherry or cooking brandy over it. Fabulous dessert with vanilla ice cream.

[@JoeRiordan]

Smart that you’re also doing a short form vertical version for TikTok, and not just a clip. Both are well done.

[@jpcaetano]

It’s so nice to meet you again Mrs Crocombe!

[@Beanfore]

Welcome back, dear! You’ve been greatly missed! Your shade and making me feel like a fool for discarding old bread… Aaah, glad to have you back! 😊

[@MJK1965]

Thanks, Mrs. C. 😊

[@classiccasualgaming]

Very simple dish. Anybody can make it. Suitable for school projects or home baking with kids.

[@DwightHalpert]

HELLERRR VANILLERR ARRRRRRMENDS are music to the ears 😍

[@XNyanko]

Just what I needed, a new recipe from Mrs. Crocombe! I find it interesting the number of recipes that can be made fairly easily from this channel...

[@Secretcrushonglam]

You should check out her/their book. I bought it a while back and it has so many recipes in it!

[@JudyCZ]

What a coincidence! My kitchen maid is away, I better make this recipe then!

[@jaydoubleyew]

And I'm comforted. As usual. Thanks, Mrs Crocombe.

[@MsZfactor]

I made this today following the recipe (slightly modernized) and this is actually really good. I would probably use brown sugar in the future and add a little butter between the layers but definitely a win. Definitely needs the custard though or it's pretty dry

[@JRandaII]

I NEVER throw away bread. It has many uses, and it’s good for bulking-up any meal. If you HAVE to get rid of it, feed it to birds…

[@NateCabinet]

Okay so I’m living in rural Mongolia this year, and I was deeply missing baked goods like pies (my bf back home is an amazing chef but I’m sorry to say I’m not). I bought a ton of apples to offer on my home Buddhist altar during our October holy days, and they were past their prime. I tried this recipe and it was DELICIOUS, and I’m proud to say I was able to follow Mrs. Crocombe’s instructions well enough to say it turned out pretty good…even with my limited skill.

[@mai_illustrationz]

It’s always a good day when Mrs. Crocombe shows up on my explore page

[@sapphoculloden5215]

Perfect timing! I was just thinking about the ridiculous number of apples which have gathered in our fridge but nobody has eaten.

[@christinaleonard4713]

OMG!! She’s back y’all!! ❤😊

[@manpreetparmar5801]

I love victorian era desserts. Here's another treasure that isn't doused in sugar but still clearly a dessert! Thanks for the recipe!

[@ЕленаКузьминова-й5ж]

Спасибо за шедевр английской кухни👏Люблю ваши видео♥

[@ScottLuvsRenFaires]

How wonderful to visit with Mrs Crocombe again!

[@diageo23]

I love all the recipes and stories, one day i hope to visit the grounds

[@theKeshaWarrior]

So good, I hope we get to see another video around tea time so we can hear conversation and gossip of the day. Either that or Commonwealth Cake (at least as it's called in Canada) which is similar to the gingerbread cake but with honey and maple syrup as sweetener instead of treacle or molasses.

[@Kaya4114]

Mrs Crocombe is 100% correct. One should never waste bread. You can always find a use for it!

[@Chaseyface20]

VANILLER! I love these videos!

[@adelzaidi3462]

Imagine Mrs. Patmore and Daisy of Downton Abbey travelling back in time and ending up at Mrs. Crocombe kitchen and then team up for a meal! That would be a collaboration, that I would love to watch!

[@pwoody1958]

When our lovely California coastal apples come into season in the fall, I will absolutely try this out, being sure to leave out any that are parst their prime!

[@bungarin4041]

I love that Mrs Crocombe also considers the financial ability to make her recipe

[@caprisonya]

Another Mrs Crocombe video!!! and it's for a recipe I could easily make with ingredients I can find and afford easily!

[@jb02991]

It’s always a privilege to say hello to Lady Crocombe ❤️

[@andrewpq5149]

AHHH ANOTHER VICTORIAN WAY EPISODE

[@jessiemckeon1651]

This is nearly identical to the first thing I learned to create: apple pudding. It’s delicious, and I’m sure this one is, too!!

[@elenArmonico1317]

This is wonderful for this time of the year

[@catherine59226]

Love your channel so much! ❤️👍🏻

[@adedow1333]

This looks like a lot of fun! I do hope it goes juicy in the middle so as to soften up the breadcrums like a bread pudding! Maybe I'll have to make it and see. And the marvelous thing is one doesn't so much need a recipe as a good eye.

[@krysab6125]

It should go nice and gooey in the middle 😊

[@zuzuspetals38]

Just love her and her recipes🌟🌟🌟

[@queenofdramatech]

I see Mrs. Crocombe and I click!!! Best day ever!

[@rhyfelwrDuw]

It always makes my day to watch Mrs Crocombe cooking!

[@CrowSkeleton]

The servants get vanilla! Dang that's a fancy establishment.

[@jbvanhoose4245]

All hail the queen of the kitchen!

[@britt2dabrat344]

Its always a pleasure to watch Mrs. Crocombe cook and throw shade sometime ❤❤❤😊

[@RavenclawSeer]

There is no excuse to throw away stale bread. There is always a use for stale bread. So true. May make a bread pudding. I love it ❤

[@ryanwagner7980]

When she looked right into the camera and said “there I no excuse for throwing away stale bread” I felt that in my soul

[@empress8411]

These videos are so soothing. Thank you!

[@drnicochef]

I love this channel! Love Mes Crocombe. Greetings from Argentina!

[@merrymuriel]

It is lovely to relive these recipes with their stories , thank you from France 🤗🌈🇫🇷💐

[@Panwere36]

I love the recipes, but along with how she explains things around the estate is very pleasing and give historical context. And yes.. every good cook knows bread only is thrown out if it has mold.

[@MsZouzou31]

It’s always a wonderful day when Mrs. Crocombe appears 😊

[@karenm.2185]

I love this lady!!! Queen of Shade!!

[@helpfulhistory]

These videos are my absolute favourite 🥹 If Mrs Crocombe ever needs a kitchen maid I’m there in a heartbeat 😅❤

[@ferrreira]

Yay!! New recipe from our mother Mrs Crocombe!!! ❤❤❤❤

[@Rodneygd]

i've been playing along with theme. Just sort of sitting in with a backing track, I'm playing for Mrs, Crocombe!

[@Parsonal]

So interesting, I would've never thought glasshouses have been around this long! And using decomposition to heat the beds, too. They say baking is chemistry, and it takes even more chemistry to create the ingredients for it in the first place.

[@erp1293]

The Victorians had some big glasshouses. Read up about the Temperate House at Kew Gardens. Opened in 1863, it covers over 52,000 square feet (nearly 4,900 m^2). Or the Palm House also at Kew and completed in 1848. However those are for plant collections not growing for the kitchen.

[@becks_r]

Always so exciting to see a new Mrs Crocomve video!

[@milyluv16]

Never had caught a premier before that was pretty cool 😄 love Mrs. Crocombe! Definitely feeling the shade as somewho who normally throws away the butts of breads but shes right! I will find uses 👍

[@StayVCA98]

Greetings!! I miss this!! 🥹

[@silver5515]

This with rhubarb could be a nice sunday pudding this week. We don't have any old bread, but the local store often has some of yesterday's bread for cheap in the mornings.

[@nunyabiznes33]

Do you dry them up first like what she used here or do you like just tear the bread to small pieces?

[@amym7825]

Yay, Mrs. Crocombe always brightens my day!

[@EllaHarrison]

When we say using up last harvest or even last years harvest - how come these apples and other produce even lasted that long? Did they have them in some sort of salt boxes for ex to help them stay fresh?

[@aurifulgore]

Im curious about this too.

[@Yorkshiremadmick]

Gorgeous ❤ The apple & Crumb pudding looked nice too.

[@Athlynne]

Thank you, yaaaay, always love a new Mrs. Crocombe!

[@catlady2525]

There’s a similar Scandinavian version of this that uses stale cake crumbs and dollops of redcurrant jelly with the apple. It’s yum!

[@lisacunningham9673]

I have last year apples 🍏, wonderful idea to use them up. Thanks 🙏 from California USA 🇺🇸

[@jamesellsworth9673]

Those ceramic pans are lovely!

[@Strwbbcakee]

I wish these videos were longer, I would LOVE a 30 min "victorian way" video. They're so relaxing!!!

[@yasao_art]

This sounds so simple and yummy at the same time. Definitely something I want to try as well. ♥

[@ashleyswinford582]

I'll definitely be making this tonight! Thank you!