Fruit crumble is a dish that combines fruit (fresh or frozen) with a crumble topping that is usually made with oats, flour and butter. Typically, a crumble like this goes heavy on the butter, but my version is a much lighter one. This version is an easy, quick to put together dessert, so versatile and forgiving that you can rarely go wrong with it. It is a Cherry Crumble that is more about the fresh fruit rather than the butter and cream. Just the perfect dessert or a light snack to relish the season’s fresh fruits, with some added textures from the crumble.
INGREDIENTS (per ramekin)
7-8 pitted cherries
For the streusel topping/crumble:
2 tablespoons rolled oats
1 tablespoon of all purpose flour
2 tablespoons slivered or chopped almonds
1 tablespoon demerara or turbinado sugar or brown sugar. Jaggery also works well here.
a pinch of salt
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (jaiphal)
a tablespoon of cold butter
softened butter for greasing the cups
INSTRUCTIONS
Generously butter each ramekin. Preheat the oven to 400F and throw in the pitted cherries in the ramekin. In a bowl, add in all the ingredients for the crumble except butter. Mix them slightly with your hands.
Now add in the cold butter and combine with the dry ingredients with your fingers. The crumble should look and feel like a crumble or coarse bread crumbs. Place this crumb mixture on top of the fruit in each ramekin. Bake for about 25 minutes.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
I love desserts, but I don’t like them to be too sweet. When it comes to a crumble, made with summer fruits, eaten on a hot day, I much prefer the dish to be light and fruity, slightly tart served with a good quality vanilla bean ice-cream, rather than a rich and heavy cobbler-esque dessert. If you are making this dish on a cold winter day, eating it warm straight out of the oven, with a dollop of whipped cream would be perfect.
On a hot and sunny beautiful summer’s say, I say reduce the sugar, chill the crumble and eat with a scoop of ice cream. Or better, have it for breakfast the next day – that’s what we did, and loved it 🙂
The slight tartness and juiciness of the cherries, the crumbly texture of the streusel topping, and the smoothness and coolness of the ice-cream – now that is a beautiful and refreshing dish that is very satisfying as well!
Read more yummie recipes by Nidhi here:
How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Green Tea
How to Make Crêpes for Breakfast
How to Make Cronuts
How to Make a Tasty Fruity Muesli