Lifestyle

How to make: forager’s crumble

You’ve read our piece on the intrepid art of foraging, you’ve got a larder or freezer groaning with fresh fruit – now what? This simple crumble recipe (apple and blackberry) is the perfect way to make a hot, sweet, old-fashioned treat and do justice to your found food…

Ingredients

The filling
7 to 10 foraged eating apples
500g foraged blackberries
2 tablespoons of water
1 tablespoon of Demerara sugar

The crumble topping
170g plain flour
115g salted butter
A handful of porridge oats
A heaped tablespoon of Demerara sugar

Method
Set your oven to 180ºC. Peel and core your apples, wash your blackberries, then put them in a saucepan with the water and the sugar. Gently simmer the fruit, water and sugar until the water turns deep purple and the apple is beginning to soften. (Have a quick taste, being careful as the mixture will be very hot: if it’s not sweet enough for you, you can add a bit more sugar and simmer for a couple more minutes.) Remove the fruit from the heat and put into a shallow, oven-proof dish. Using a food processor, whizz together your butter and flour until it resembles very fine breadcrumbs (you can rub the flour and butter together between your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs – but it does take longer!). Stir the sugar and the porridge oats into the crumbed pastry. Spoon the topping over the semi-cooked fruit and put into the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve when ready with lovely hot custard or thick cream.

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