An old favourite

When I was struck with a hankering for something sweet after dinner this evening, I mentally ran through the list of desserts and puddings I have yet to make. I wasn't about to attempt anything time-consuming, and it had to be something I could make out of stuff I had in the cupboard.


So what about one of the crumble recipes? There are four variations, and I'd only made two so far. Wholegrain oat crumble (p209) is the version I generally used before beginning my Edmonds challenge, as I prefer crumbles that have oats in them. It's a rare treat to cook an Edmonds recipe that's actually familiar. Mostly, I'm making stuff I'd never even thought about making before.

I peeled and chopped an apple and a pear, and put them on to stew with a bit of cinnamon and ground cloves. I only wanted a single serving, (a generous single serving, of course) so I halved the crumble recipe. It's quick to make - just rub butter into sifted sugar and baking powder, then stir through sugar and oats.
 
 
I didn't want the fruit to be cooked too thoroughly: I prefer a slight bite to the apple, instead of it being just mush. Perhaps this wouldn't suit everyone, but since I'm only cooking for myself, I can do what I want! I spooned the apple and pear mixture into a small dish, sprinkled  some brown sugar over the fruit, and topped it with a nice thick coating of the crumble mixture. I didn't need all the crumble mixture - I'll have to make something with the leftover crumble tomorrow.
 
 

 
 
The cooking time given in the recipe is 30 minutes; after 25, my smaller version was looking about right. I'm digging into it as I write, enjoying the sugary crunch of the oat topping and the juicy apple and pear underneath: delicious. Never underestimate a good old-fashioned crumble - it's a favourite with just about everyone!