Fruit Crumble

A comforting fruit crumble recipe from Retro Classics cookbook. For most of us, crumble is a favourite pudding from our childhood, yet did you know it first appeared in a Ministry of Food leaflet published during the Second World War? It’s rarely seen without a partner: custard, cream or ice cream – or in some families, all three!

Use fruit such as cooking apples, rhubarb, gooseberries, plums, damsons, blackberries or blueberries – or a mixture.

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Crumble fruit

5/5
1

4 servings

15 mins

Ingredients

Fruit such as cooking apples, rhubarb,
gooseberries, plums, damsons,
blackberries or blueberries 900g
(2lb), washed or peeled and sliced, as
appropriate

Caster sugar 75–110g (3–4oz), depending on the sharpness of the fruit

Plain flour 150g (5oz)

Butter 110g (4oz), cubed

Rolled oats 50g (2oz)

Brown sugar 110g (4oz)

Custard, cream or vanilla ice cream to
serve

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºfan/Gas 4.

Put the fruit in a saucepan with the caster sugar. Cook gently for about 5 minutes or until softened. Spoon into a 1.2 litre (2 pint) baking dish.

Put the flour in a bowl then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the oats and brown sugar.

Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the fruit. Put the dish on a baking tray and bake for about 45 minutes until the top is light brown.

Leave to cool for a few minutes before serving with custard, cream or ice cream.

Cook’s Tips

Use frozen fruit, defrosted and gently heated, or well drained canned fruit for a storecupboard dessert. Add a pinch of ground cinnamon to apples or plums, or ground ginger to rhubarb, if you like.