Apple Crumble Problem?!

Apple Crumble Problem?

I follow the recipe, slice the apples and put them in the bottom of the dish. Then I make the crumble and put on top, pressing down gently, as the recipe says. It looks perfect. When cooked often it has sunk in the middle and also some of the crumble has sunk into the apple part. I don’t add any liquid to the apples. What can I do to prevent this/what am I doing wrong??

Thanks in advance.

As the apples cook down, this will naturally occur.

You could mix a few table spoons flour and sugar with the sliced apples before putting the crumble on top. This also gives you an opportunity to add some additional flavor to your filling if you want; an extra dash of cinnamon or nutmeg in the flour and sugar, maybe some lemon rind, raisins, nuts, etc. if you'd like.

The added flour and sugar will absorb the juice of the cooking apples and will cook into a sauce; this may provide more body to your filling and help prevent so much sinking. Some will still occur, especially as the filling sauce/juices tend to bubble through the crumble during baking.

Hope this helps, good luck!