SUMMER CRUMBLE

You could use any stone fruit you like here; I cannot resist an apricot. I love the thick-grained flesh, the way that dense-textured juiciness is so lusciously contained within the fruit’s dappled, soft, baby-cheeked skin. This, I realise, is not how most apricots are when you buy them in the shops here, but cook them under a light layer of almondy crumble and disappointment can be averted: this pudding radiates mellow, good-mood sunniness.

750g apricots, stoned and quartered lengthways

75g cold unsalted butter, cut into approx. 1cm dice

100g self-raising flour

25g ground almonds

75g caster sugar

50g flaked almonds

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.

Put the apricots in a single layer in a shallow pudding dish.

Rub the butter into the flour and ground almonds, flutteringly working the pads of your thumbs and middle fingers until you have a mixture like rough sand. Stir in the sugar and flaked almonds and then sprinkle lightly over the apricots to cover them evenly.

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, by which time the crumble will have browned a little on the top and the fruit will be bubbling underneath. Serve with mascarpone or crème fraîche.

Serves 4–6.