BLACKBERRY & APPLE CRUMBLE
Nothing is more British than crumble, and with its fruity, biscuity aroma, crunchy topping and juicy filling, its place in our culinary hall of fame is undisputed. British cookery doyenne Debbie Major offers her definitive recipe, plus a nutty twist
PHOTOGRAPHS: MAJA SMEND. FOOD STYLING: SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH. STYLING: TONY HUTCHINSON
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The recipe hall of fame
How to jazz up your crumble
• Add citrus zest to the fruit: lemon zest and juice to gooseberries; orange zest and juice to rhubarb; lime zest and juice to tropical fruit mixtures.
• Reduce the sugar and add a little marmalade or jam to the fruit mixture. Marmalade goes well with quinces or apples, apricot jam with apricots or apples.
• Add a handful of oats to the flour-based crumble mix, or make it almost entirely from oats for a flapjack-style topping.
• Use pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds, lightly toasted coconut and coarsely crushed amaretti biscuits or ginger nuts for additional flavour in the topping.
• Add chopped chocolate or choc chips to the crumble mix – great with pears.