ORCHARD OAT CRUMBLE

SERVES 6-8

Historically speaking, crumbles are relatively new, rising to fame through the war years, probably in part due to their simplicity to make, and the fact that a crumble does not have to be perfect like a pie; in fact, an uneven crumbliness combined with butteriness is a prerequisite.

Today, the traditional crumble of flour, sugar and butter has been expanded to include nuts, coconut, spices and whole grains such as oats. A winter crumble prepared from orchard windfalls – apples or pears – is easily given a makeover by including rhubarb and raspberries. Don’t forget the custard – packet variety is just fine – it’s a quintessential escort for any fruit crumble.

INGREDIENTS

3 large apples or pears

500g rhubarb, trimmed

¼ cup water

2 Tbsp honey

1 punnet fresh raspberries or 1 cup frozen, optional

OAT CRUMBLE

1 cup flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup soft brown sugar

1 tsp ground ginger or mixed spice

150g butter, diced

½ cup sliced almonds, chopped hazelnuts or desiccated coconut – coconut thread is nice here

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2 Peel, core and thickly slice the apples or pears.

3 Cut the rhubarb into 3-4cm slices and place in a saucepan with the apples or pears, water and honey. Simmer gently for about 8-10 minutes or until the fruit has wilted but has not cooked to complete softness.

4 To make the crumble, sift the flour into a bowl and stir in the oats, sugar and ginger or mixed spice. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles crumbs.

5 Stir in the nuts or coconut.

6 Place the cooked fruit into a 6-8 cup-capacity ovenproof dish and fork through the raspberries if using. Scatter over the crumble mixture.

7 Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the crumble is golden and the fruit is bubbling hot. Serve with lashings of custard or cream.