A
logical follow on from sponge would be rubber, but instead we change
the texture to crumble. It is one of those deeply philosophical problems
- a bit like
the chicken and the egg (for vegans the soya bean and the tofu).
Which came first, the pie or the crumble? Did someone forget to put
the water in the
pastry for an apple pie, or did they spill water into the crumble?
These questions trouble philosopher cooks in the still watches of
the night.
Ingredients
- Serves 4 to 6
8oz (225g) flour - plain wholemeal
4oz (100g) margarine
2oz (50g) muscovado or soft brown sugar
1lb (450g) baking apples
Method
- Wash, core
and chop the apples into chunks. Put in a pan with 4 tablespoons
of water and a little lemon juice. Put on moderate heat and
leave to stew for
5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. The apple should be
just starting to soften, not becoming a pulp.
- Mix flour and margarine
with the fingertips until it is like the texture of breadcrumbs.
Add the sugar and mix.
- Put the cooked apples in a greased pie dish and sprinkle
with a little
more sugar. Cover with the crumble mixture.
- Bake in the
oven at gas mark 5, 190°C, 375°F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until
brown on top.
This recipe can be used to make any sort of fruit crumble.
For example rhubarb - just substitute the apples with 1lb. of
washed and chopped
rhubarb for every 4 people and treat it in exactly the
same way. Other varieties could include blackcurrent, blueberry,
blackberry and apple,
almost anything you like really.
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