Crumble Ratio

Paul Hollywood's feedback that Carole's pies had 'a bit too much crumble' illustrates a common pitfall: letting a topping overwhelm the filling. Crumble should accent and add textural contrast, not blanket or hide what's beneath. For mince pies with special fillings like Carole's tropical fruit, restraint is essential—use just enough crumble to provide buttery crunch without obscuring the bright flavors you've worked to create. A scant tablespoon per standard mince pie is usually sufficient. The crumble should be visible as scattered clusters, not a continuous layer. Using demerara sugar in the crumble adds caramel notes and maintains crunch better than granulated sugar. Adding desiccated coconut reinforces the tropical theme while contributing texture. Always refrigerate crumble topping until ready to use—warm butter creates dense, heavy results rather than light, crisp clusters.