(Serves 4 persons)
You will need.........
Preheat the oven to 180C or Gas 4.
You will need the following ingredients for the filling: (All are approximate)
2lbs total of fruit, Apples or Rhubarb OR
1 1/2 lbs of Apples and 1/2lb of Rhubarb OR
1 1/2 lbs Apples and 6oz of Blackberries (add more if you like!)
1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of Ginger
1/2 teaspoon of Nutmeg
2 dessert spoons of Honey
1/4lb Light Soft Brown sugar
Granulated Sugar, for topping off
1/2 pint water
Method:
Peel the apples one at a time and slice them into water to stop them going brown in the air. Discard the apple core and do not use. ( and/or chop the rhubarb into small pieces.) When ready to start cooking drain the apples of all the water.
Place the chosen fruit (total 2lbs) in a saucepan adding the two dessert spoons of Honey and the three spices. Add 1/2 pint of water and simmer slowly for about 15 to 20 minutes. Notice that some extra liquid will be drawn out of the fruit. Add 1/4lb Light Soft Brown Sugar (or more if you like it sweeter) and the mixture is not too runny and the fruit is soft and cooked. Do not let the apples cook into the liquid, they should be cooked but be still there in pieces. Drain off any surplus liquid if there is too much to use later as a drink! Set aside.
For the Crumble Topping you will need:
3/4lb (12oz) Plain Flour
6oz Butter
3oz Granulated Sugar
If the butter is hard then finely slice it into the flour and sugar. Mix all the ingredients together with your finger tips to make what appears to be a coarse breadcrumb type mixture. Rubbing the mixture between your hands also helps in this process. Dig deep into the bowl to find other lumps of butter! There should be no lumps of butter left in the final mixture.
Cooking:
Place the cooked fruit into an average size oven proof dish (no lid). Level off and top with the crumble mixture, spreading it out evenly with the back of a spoon, sprinkling the top with one teaspoon of Granulated Sugar. (If you would like a thicker top then you would have time to make some more crumble.)
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes when the top should be golden and crisp from the sugar on top. Serve with lashings of hot Custard!!
Alternative method for use when freezing:
Allow the cooked fruit to go cold before adding the crumble on top:
Instead of using an oven proof dish you could divide the fruit up into three or four foil trays with the crumble on top but don’t cook them - just freeze them ready for cooking later!! Of course you could just cook one straight away in the foil trays and freeze the rest!
Plastic “take-away” trays can also be used for three portions and frozen for use later - for microwaving after de-frosting. (Do not put plastic trays in the oven!)
