Serves 6
Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 30–35 minutes
2 dessert apples
2 ripe pears
400 g (13 oz) red plums, quartered and pitted
2 tablespoons water
75 g (3 oz) caster sugar
100 g (3½ oz) plain flour
50 g (2 oz) unsalted butter, diced
50 g (2 oz) desiccated coconut
50 g (2 oz) milk chocolate chips
Peel, core and quarter the apples and pears. Slice the quarters and add the slices to a 1.2 litre (2 pint) pie dish. Add the plums and the measurement water, then sprinkle with 25 g (1 oz) of the sugar. Cover the dish with foil and bake in a preheated oven, 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4, for 10 minutes.
Put the remaining sugar in a bowl with the flour, add the butter and rub in with your fingertips or an electric mixer until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the coconut and chocolate chips.
Remove the foil from the fruit and spoon the crumble over the top. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the crumble topping is golden brown and the fruit is tender. Serve warm with custard or cream.
For plum & orange crumble, put 750 g (1½ lb) plums, quartered and pitted, into a 1.2 litre (2 pint) pie dish with 50 g (2 oz) caster sugar, omitting the apples and pears. Make the crumble as above, adding the grated rind of 1 small orange and 50 g (2 oz) ground almonds instead of the desiccated coconut and chocolate chips. Bake as above.