My shortbread mix makes a buttery crumble topping with extra crunch. If preparation time is short, you can assemble the crumble without poaching the fruit and bake it for 10 minutes longer.
Serves 6
Special equipment
11⁄2–2 quart (1.7–2 liter) baking dish, about 12 x 9in (30 x 23cm) and 2in (5cm) deep
1 lb 10 oz (750 g) ripe red plums (see box)
2 large apples, about 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) total (see box)
2 cinnamon sticks (see box)
1⁄3 cup (75 g) caster sugar
fresh cream, to serve
For the topping
1 cup (150 g) all-purpose flour
1⁄3 cup plus 1 tbsp (75 g) semolina
31⁄2 oz (100 g) cold butter, cut into cubes
7 tbsp (60 g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Halve and pit the plums and quarter, peel, core, and thickly slice the apples. Put the fruit in a large, wide pan with the cinnamon sticks and granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the liquid to a simmer, stirring gently. Cover and poach the fruits for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. (See Poach the fruits before baking.)
2. Remove the cinnamon sticks. Pour the poached fruit mixture into the baking dish. Spread out the mixture evenly, then set aside.
3. Make the topping: place the flour and semolina in a bowl and add the butter. Rub in the butter until the mixture has the consistency of breadcrumbs. Mix in the granulated sugar. Spoon the topping over the fruit in the dish, then sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top. (See Make a crunchy crumble topping.)
4. Bake the crumble for 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the fruit juices are bubbling up around the edges. Allow to settle for 5–10 minutes before serving with fresh cream.
PLUM AND APPLE CRUMBLE WITH A SUPER-CRUNCHY TOPPING
KEYS TO PERFECTION
Poach the fruits before baking
1 Poaching the fruits before covering with the topping makes a particularly juicy crumble. To halve the plums, run a small, sharp knife around the groove in each fruit, then twist the halves in opposite directions until they come apart. Push out the pit with your fingertips, or use the tip of the knife.
2 Cut the apples into quarters lengthwise, then peel off the skin and cut out the cores with a small, sharp knife. Cut each quarter into 4 thick slices.
3 A large, wide pan is best for poaching, as it enables the fruit to cook evenly without the need to stir too frequently. During poaching, the apples will start to break up. This is as it should be, and it helps to thicken the juices. As soon as the plums have started to soften, remove the pan from the heat.
Victoria plums are my favorite for cooking, because I like their lovely red color and sweet juiciness. Granny Smith apples are the perfect variety for a crumble. They soften down beautifully during baking and are just tart enough to balance the sweetness of the plums and sugar. Cinnamon gives the poached fruit a sweet, woody flavor and aroma. Cinnamon sticks vary in size. For this recipe, mine were about 3in (7.5cm) in length, but if yours are the very long ones, simply snap one in half.
Make a crunchy crumble topping
1 Stir the flour and semolina together in a large mixing bowl until they’re evenly combined. Using half semolina to flour is a simple way to add texture and crunch to the baked crumble topping.
2 Using your fingertips, rub the cubes of butter into the flour and semolina. Do this very gently; never mash it with your fingers. The final texture should resemble breadcrumbs; don’t make it too fine, or the topping will be soggy. Cold butter and cold fingertips are vital to prevent the mixture from becoming sticky. If necessary, hold your hands under cold running water to cool them, then quickly dry them.
3 Stir in the granulated sugar until it is evenly distributed. When making crumble, always add the sugar after working in the butter. If you add the sugar beforehand, the mixture will become too sticky to handle.
4 Spoon the crumble topping over the fruit in the dish, so that it forms an even layer, then top with brown sugar. Make sure that all the fruit is covered, especially around the edges. It’s good to have a little juice bubbling up around the edges during baking, but too much juice will overflow and make the topping soggy.