Sunday 10 February 2013

A tea-time treat





So our weekend has been one of recuperation. We have hung out at home and watched lots of natural history programmes. We have also taken a trip down memory lane by looking at old photos.
Olly slept through the night on Friday, which was a very much needed treat for two tired and lurgy ridden parents.

We took him to Blewetts toy shop in Hayle to buy him a train, as a thank you. Sam and Alf got a huge pick and mix each, and Marc and I ate a Philps pasty in the park. I love days like that, don't you? Pottering with no particular plan in mind, and enjoying the company of those you love the most.

Today has been a very similar story. However I just wanted to tell you one thing....

While I was cooking the roast, I decided that I fancied a pudding for tea. I had some plums in the fruit bowl. They were still hard as bullets even though they had been bought several days earlier. I remember reading something Nigella had written about disappointing fruit making a good crumble - those tasteless strawberries and rock hard plums. We've all had them malingering in the fruit bowl, and invariably they get thrown away.

So I made a plum crumble, and I thought I would share because it was the perfect pudding for a wet and cold Sunday evening.

Plum Crumble

crumble topping:
50g plain white flour
25g plain wholemeal flour
75g soft brown sugar
50g ground almonds
50g butter

filling:
6-8 plums, halved, stone removed
50g sugar
teaspoon of cinnamon

  1. To make the crumble topping mix together the flour, almonds and sugar and then rub in the butter until it resembles a crumbly mixture. You could also add chopped walnuts (I did) or any other nut if you like. I've put oats and granola in too before now. Go mad!
  2. Place the plums flesh side up in a pie dish. Scatter the sugar and cinnamon over the top. I don't cook  the fruit beforehand (as with apple crumble) because I find they are soft enough to go straight into the oven without any prepping.
  3. Spoon over the crumble topping and bake at 180 for about 30 minutes. I like my crumble quite brown on the top, and I know that it's cooked when the juice is oozing over the sides of the dish.
  4. Serve warm with ice cream or clotted cream (or both, eh Liz).



Honestly the plums were sweet and sharp at the same time and oozed sticky loveliness. The crumble was perfect. Nutty and seeped in the juices of the fruit.
 
I love a crumble. I'm off for some more!
 
Leanne xx

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