Strawberry Apple Crumble

Last weekend, the temperatures finally dipped. And with it came the window of opportunity for all things warm and cosy .. .. and that of course, goes for all things sweet!

 

And in my dictionary, nothing spells warm and cosy better than a well made fruit crumble!

 

 

Strawberries have made their appearance and you know I have a weakness when it comes to cooking with the fruit. But, I added some apples, for no other reason than I had two lying in the fruit basket with no one volunteering to finish them.

 

But, feel free to use any seasonal, soft fruit of your choice. Think plums, peaches, berries or even pears.

 

 

And for the crumble, instead of the traditional all flour topping, I went with a healthier option of oats and whole wheat, with a dash of cinnamon. I figured there are going to be more than enough calories consumed over the next two weeks!

 

 

What a rustic and homey dessert this is. As it bakes in the oven, you can smell the vanilla and cinnamon wafting about. The apple and strawberry mix stews into this luscious, red compote with a vanilla accent that threatens to flow over the edges. And it all hides beneath this buttery, toasty, golden brown crumble that is the perfect foil for all that warm, soft fruit. 

 

This is a beautifully comforting dessert that just seems to warm you all over!

 

 

It has been a horrific week. Just as we tried to make sense of the siege in Sydney, we were confronted by the mind-numbing, heart-wrenching images from Peshawar. No matter how hard I try, on this occasion, words fall short.

 

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Strawberry Apple Crumble

Serves 2

Ingredients:

For the filling

• 2 small apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 150 gms strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 1/4 cup sugar (I used demerara sugar)
• 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• juice of 1/2 lemon

For the crumble topping

• 1/4 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/4 cup flour/whole wheat flour (I used atta for a healthier option)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (I used demerara sugar)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. 
• As you cut the apples, toss them in some lemon juice. This will stop them from turning brown.
• In a bowl, combine all the cut fruit with the sugar and vanilla. Divide the fruit mixture equally between the two ramekins.
• In another bowl, rub the flour and oats with the butter until it resembles bread crumbs. Add the sugar and cinnamon powder and combine with the flour-butter mixture.
• Spread this crumble mixture over the top of the fruit mixture in the ramekins.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the fruit mixture bubbles around the edges.
• Remove from oven and serve warm.