A Winter Crumble

Here is an unusual Crumble, from the pages of an old recipe booklet, dated around the 1960s, when many fresh fruits were unavailable of course and few had freezers. The minute I read the recipe I knew I just had to make it, although I have adapted it very slightly. What a find! My family loved it and I served it with cream - and, dare I say it, custard too. My husband has such a sweet tooth. But note that the crumble mix is not as we would make it these days and is not as fine, but super delicious. We all loved it!

The quantities below make a crumble for 5-6. Pre heat your fan oven to 180C. Generously butter a medium sized shallow ish oven proof serving dish.

12-14 oz any dried fruit - e.g. raisins, apricots, prunes, cranberries

3 tablespoonfuls rum

grated zest of a large or two smaller oranges

the juice of the orange

sugar to taste - I used 2 tablespoonfuls of golden caster

Topping

6 oz softened butter

3 oz demerara sugar

6 oz self raising flour

6 oz rolled oats

chopped nuts for extra topping - I used walnuts [I also added a few in my crumble mix]

In a small saucepan stew the fruits gently in the rum and the orange juices, along with the orange zest. You will need a small amount of water too [or a little more rum?] Add the sugar of choice and simmer very gently for about 15 mins. [Not in the original recipe but I added a teaspoonful of mixed spice and a pinch of ground cloves]. Set aside to cool a little then place in your dish.

In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar then work in the flour and oats to form the crumble.  After making sure it is well combined, sprinkle over the fruit and level off with a little pressing. You will need to sprinkle a little at a time, breaking up any little buttery lumps.

Bake for about 35-40 mins but halfway though sprinkle over your choice of nuts.

Yum yum. Absolutely wonderful!!  A lovely easy winter dessert. You can prep the fruit in the morning or day before, ditto the crumble mix and leave in the fridge until baking.

Note: I did not cut the larger fruits up too much, only into 2 or 3 smaller pieces. I also added an ounce of crystallised ginger, chopped. For no other reason than I love it!

I also lightly toasted the oats beforehand, placing them on a baking sheet in a medium oven, turning once or twice for about 25-30 mins. Brings out the nutty flavour! But not absolutely necessary.