The combination of soft biscuit-like crumble and tart berries make this dessert especially moreish. Serve with vanilla ice cream or clotted cream for the perfect after-dinner treat…
Ingredients
Recipe makes four individual crumbles
For the pastry:
225g plain flour
110g unsalted butter
80g caster sugar
1 large egg
2tbsp milk
For the berry compote:
500g mixed berries
4 cox apples- washed, peeled, cored and diced
200g caster sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
For the crumble mix
150g plain flour
80g icing sugar
80g unsalted butter
Method
First you must make the pastry to give it time to rest…
1. Sieve your flour and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl from a height.
2. Chop the butter into cubes, then using your fingertips, gently work it the flour and sugar until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Beat the egg with the milk, then add the mixture and gently work it together until it forms a ball of dough. Remember not to work the pastry too much at this stage or it will become elastic and chewy, not crumbly.
4. Flour and then wrap the dough in clingfilm to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes
While the dough is resting it’s time to make the filling…
5. Take your frozen berries, sugar and diced apples and add to a thick-bottom pan.
6. Stew and mix down to a compote or jam consistency. This will take between 20-30 mins. Finish with the lemon zest.
7. To make the crumble, rub together the butter, sugar and flour by hand until it resembles breadcrumbs. This is a basic crumble mix, but if you want to add orange zest or oats at this stage that would work nicely too.
8. Take your rested pastry from the fridge and roll out on a floured surface about ½ cm thick
9. Carefully roll your pastry around the rolling pin, then unroll it carefully over an oiled tin. Ease the pastry into the tin, making sure you push it into all the sides.
10. Trim off any excess and blind bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 C for 10 mins. After 10 mins, take out your baking beans and bake for a further 10 mins.
11. Once your pastry has cooled, you can assemble the pie. Spoon your berry compote into the tart case until it is two-thirds full and sprinkle your crumble mix on top. Bake for a further 15-20 mins or until golden brown.
Serve with vanilla ice-cream and fresh berries.
