Blackberry & Apple Crumble

There is nothing I like more than a good fruit crumble with lashings of custard, especially when the apples come from your own garden, and you have picked the blackberry's from walking along the roadside at home - makes for a very cheap, but truly tasty pudding. I also like experimenting with different types of crumble topping - I think that the more crunchy texture, the better, and if it all sticks to the roof of your mouth, then you know it really is good!

Ingredients

3-4 Large Cooking Apples (Skinned, cored and cut into large chunks)

1 Punnet of Blackberries (or if you are picking them - a good bowl full)

Cinnamon

Demerara or Soft Brown Sugar - approx 2 heaped tbsp to add to the apples when cooking

For the Crumle Topping:

4 oz Plain Flour

4 oz Demerara or Soft Brown Sugar

4 oz Unsalted Butter, diced into small pieces

4 oz Ground or Finely Chopped Almonds or Porridge Oats

Method

1.  Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (160°C for fan ovens, or gas mark 4). Place the apple chunks into a saucepan with approx 2 tbsp water, and set over a low heat to soften. (You want the chunks to break down slightly, but not disintegrate into a puree) While the apples are stewing slowly, add 2 heaped tbsp of the demerara or soft brown sugar to them and stir to combine. Add 1-2 tsp (depending on taste) of cinnamon to the apples (or if you're like me - half a jar!!!). Once the apples have softened (you should have a mixture that looks like half puree, half chunks), transfer them to an oven proof dish, to line the base of your crumble.

2. Scatter the blackberries over the cooked apples, and mix in if you like (or you can leave them on top of the apples, and let them cook in together naturally).

3. To make the crumble topping, mix the flour with the sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and using your fingertips, rub into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs (do not rub into as finely as if you were making pastry, as you want to have lots of texture for your crumble).

4. Stir in the ground or finely chopped almonds or porridge oats, and then spoon over the top of your fruit, being careful not to press down on the mixture, as you want it to remain fairly loose and not too compact.

5. Smooth over the surface of the crumble, and I always like to sprinkle another spoonful of sugar over the top, along with a few more oats, and a good helping of cinnamon to make it really crispy and crunchy!

6. Place the crumble into the oven and cook for approximately 30-35 minutes, until the top turns a lovely golden brown colour, and the juices from the fruit start to ooze over the sides.

7. Serve with a big helping of custard or double cream, Mmm Mmm!