APPLE, PLUM AND WALNUT COBBLER

Perfectly sweet, tart and nutty, a cobbler is a real crowd-pleaser

Perfectly sweet, tart and nutty, a cobbler is a real crowd-pleaser. Simply served with some cream, ice cream or delicious vanilla custard, this dessert is the ideal finalé to a Sunday roast.

Preparation 15 minutes Cooking 1 hour 10 minutes Serves 6

FOR THE FILLING

700G FIRM PLUMS, STONED AND ROUGHLY CHOPPED 300G COOKING APPLES, PEELED, CORED AND CHOPPED

100G DRIED CRANBERRIES, CHERRIES AND RAISINS OR OTHER DRIED BERRIES OF YOUR CHOICE

60G GOLDEN CASTER SUGAR 1 TBSP HONEY

2 TSP VANILLA BEAN PASTE 2 TBSP RASPBERRY LIQUEUR,

SUCH AS CHAMBORD (OPTIONAL)

FOR THE TOPPING

150G PLAIN FLOUR

1½ TSP BAKING POWDER 100G WALNUTS

70G CASTER SUGAR 150G COLD UNSALTED BUTTER, CUBED

1 EGG DEMERARA SUGAR, FOR THE TOP

CREAM, CUSTARD OR ICE CREAM, TO SERVE

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven), gas mark 6. 2 Combine all the ingredients for the fruit filling in a large baking dish and stir together until the fruit is well coated with the other ingredients. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes until the fruit has started to soften and the juices are bubbling.

3 Meanwhile, to make the topping, put the flour, baking powder, walnuts and sugar into a food processor and pulse until evenly combined.

4 Add the cubed butter to the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and continue to pulse until it comes together to make a thick, quite wet dough.

5 Remove the fruit from the oven and spoon dollops of the dough on top of it, creating a good covering but leaving some gaps for the dough to spread into. Sprinkle with a little demerara sugar and bake in the oven for 40 minutes until golden. Serve hot with cream, custard or ice cream. Cook’s note: any combination of fruit will generally work in this cobbler. If you use soft fruit, like currants or berries, reduce or skip the first bake.