Tags
amateur foodies, Apple crumble, blokes cooking, Custard, Fruit crumble, Plum crumble, Pudding, Sugar
After last year’s wash-out of a summer, where it rained every day, and half of England ended up under water, it’s quite a relief to see our apple and plum trees bearing such healthy fruit this year.
Our slightly excitable Bramley apple tree
While I could never be considered for the WI (1. I wasn’t born there and 2. it would be insulting to Richards, Holding, Marshall etc). and my rendition of ‘Jerusalem’ sounds like Tarzan on fire, I have put my skills to making jam. Lots of jam. Too much jam. Does anyone want any? I’m giving it away.
However, one quintessentially English dessert is in the offing using our fine harvest this Indian Summer – fruit crumble. People on a diet – look away now.
Crumble mix
For my simple crumble, take three parts flour, two parts sugar (preferably light demerara, though caster or at a push, granulated will do) and one and half parts fat (preferably butter, though vegans might go for something like Stork (it doesn’t call itself margarine any more). using light fingers, rub them together for about 10 minutes until you get something like breadcrumbs. Set aside.
You can add a generous spoonful of porridge oats as well should you wish.
Apple crumble
For my apple crumble, you need about six decent-sized Bramley apples (or similar). ‘Decent-sized’ would mean you could comfortably hold one in your hand, but would struggle with two. Luckily, we have a tree in our garden that can provide for us quite handsomely.
Peel the apples, and chop into 3cm chunks. Lay them in your dish, and sprinkle about one and a half to two tablespoons of light muscovado sugar (Bramley apples are quite… tart) and a sprinkle of a level teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Mix the apples, sugar and cinnamon together and spread evenly across the dish. Evenly distribute the crumble mixture over the top to a depth of about 3cm, and place in the oven at 220°C (around 425°F, gas mark 7) for about 35-40 minutes.
Plum crumble
It’s pretty much the same as the apple crumble filling using sugar and cinnamon, except use around 600g (about 30) plums. You can for this one, top it up with a wee drop of Kirsch or some grated lemon rind.
Better still, make a combined apple and plum crumble.
Custard
Meanwhile, the ideal accompaniment for the crumble is custard. Not simple cream – custard.
Take three egg yolks, about 10g of caster sugar for every egg yolk, and a cut-open, a de-seeded vanilla pod (vanilla essence will do – just) and a pint or so of milk, single cream or double cream – depending on how rich you want your custard.
Slowly heat the milk/cream with the vanilla pod for about 15 minutes. At the same time, mix the yolks and sugar until you hit a pale yellow consistency. Pour the infused milk/cream over the egg yolk/sugar mixture, being careful not to have the milk/cream too hot or you risk turning the eggs into scrambled eggs.
Mix thoroughly and place back on the low to medium heat, stirring all the time. The milk/cream will thicken to your required consistency. Remove the pod and set aside for another day. There is probably enough flavour in the pod for another go at a later date.
If you have a really sweet tooth, make a more caramel-like custard using dark muscovado sugar instead of caster sugar.
Serving suggestion: Don’t have a heavy main course first.
Large Al's cookbook 
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Where are you Alan? Let’s have more foody blogs – that love the Albion to boot!
Hi Anne
Anything in particular you’d like me to write about? What’s your favourite dish that someone you don’t know could prepare for you?
Cheers, Al