Mega Crumble
Introduction
This dessert has brought my family so much joy – everyone is happy when a crumble is in the oven. But will there be enough? Ta-dah! Bring in the Mega Crumble. There is plenty to feed a crowd, or a smaller group, with leftovers for breakfast. Yep, crumble for breakfast is a treat.
I’ve used Granny Smith apples as the base and added a handful of feijoas (love their exotic perfume as they cook), a cup of tangy dried apricots for colour and tang, and a cup of frozen raspberries for pops of colour and flavour. In summer, use fresh apricots and nectarines, an apple or two to add bulk, and large strawberries – they are amazing in a crumble.
Look for locally grown dried tangy apricots – imported apricots are plump but sugary-sweet.
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Fruit
½ cup dried apricots
6-8 large Granny Smith apples
6-12 feijoa
125g (4-5 oz) fresh or frozen raspberries
2-3 Tbsp caster sugar, depending on the tartness of the fruit
Crumble
300g (10½ oz) standard flour
240g (8½ oz) butter
6 Tbsp caster (superfine granulated) sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
½ cup sliced Brazil nuts
½ cup flaked almonds
½ cup coconut flakes
Method
1 Soak the dried apricots in hot water for 3-4 hours (or longer) until plump and tender. Drain, then chop them.
2 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and place a baking sheet (tray) on the oven rack below in case the fruit bubbles over.
3 Sift the flour into a bowl, then add the butter. Rub the butter in with your fingertips, or use a pastry blender, until well combined. Mix in the sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, nuts and coconut.
4 Prepare the fruit; peel if necessary and slice or chop (scoop feijoas out of their skin). Squeeze lemon juice over apples as they are prepared, but don’t concern yourself too much if they turn brown. Pile the fruit into an ovenproof dish (2.5-3 L/ 5-6 pt), sprinkling with sugar as you go. (I like making crumbles in glass dishes such as Pyrex because you can see when the fruit is soft and bubbling).