Plum or Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble or Apple and Berry Crumble (really whatever you have lying around)

Plum or Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble or Apple and Berry Crumble (really whatever you have lying around)

Jump to recipe

Crumble update

Crumble

I am starting to go back to my old recipes and update them, and what better place to start  than with a crumble, or crisp as they would say in America? the stores are now full of stone fruit, plums, nectarines and peaches. Perfect for a summer crumble!

A little curt!

When I was catering full-time in America, my blog was more of an ‘”aide memoire’, a place to jot down a recipe before I forgot what I had done. As a result my older posts are a little curt, with minimal instructions and take it or leave ounces (no cups or grammes). I am trying to be a little kinder and include instructions for everyone.

Rhubarb Crumble

Crumble, or more precisely, rhubarb crumble is my husband’s favourite dessert. As tomorrow, June 5th, is Denmark’s Constitution Day and Father’s Day, we have  two very good reasons to have Rhubarb Crumble on the menu. And quite funny as my original post was for the 4th of July, American Independence Day!

Rhubarb was hard to get in America, so I used to buy it whenever I saw it in the stores. In Denmark, rhubarb is everywhere. They put it in yogurts and jams and lemonade and even Danish pastries.

I don’t know about the USA, but here in Denmark I can now buy plums, apricots, nectarines and bunches of rhubarb.

rhubarb
rhubarb

These soft fruits in Denmark are strictly seasonal and have only just started appearing in shops. I am so excited after months of apples and pears to be able to make a summer crumble again.

This really is a great recipe for whatever fruit you have to hand. As I find making decisions hard, I often use two different fruits. I only use one dish but fill half with, say, plums and the other half with rhubarb.  In that whole ‘make hay while the sun shines’ sort of way, I suggest you lose no time and make a summer crumble!

Flour and Gluten Free Options

I like to replace half of my flour with oats, as I love the texture. If you do not have oats, you can just double the amount of flour.  For those who are gluten free use only oats or replace the flour with a rice flour. You could also make the whole thing healthier by using wholemeal flour, although for me. That is a step too far!

The crumble mixture should not be too smooth, so stop mixing it when there are still some lumps in it. A perfect crumble has a pebbley top, with the fruit starting to bubble up from below.

Vanilla Sugar or Brown Sugar

I should say in ever recipe post that I put a vanilla pod in my sugar. The sugar takes on a lovely hint of vanilla, without having to resort to adding vanilla essence which I find can be overpowering. Just a thought.

I also sometimes switch out and use some type of brown sugar to sweeten the fruit or in the crumble. Be careful as brown sugar can sometimes give a very caramel taste which can fight with the fruit. I would probably not use anything other than white sugar with rhubarb.

Other ideas for fruit.

With so much lovely fruit around, I have also been making lots of fruit topped cakes and promise to write up that soon. If you can’t wait look at my recipe for upside down orange cake and use the polenta cake as a base, then top with fruit of your choice. Or check out my post on instagram @carolynsfabfood I have written a quick recipe there.

Or just poach a little extra fruit, add some water to it and keep it in the fridge. I am currently obsessed with natural yogurt, Greek or otherwise, or Skyr, the Icelandic equivalent. My new breakfast is some yogurt and some poached nectarines or Rhurbarb and strawberries. It is so good and perfect for this spectacular weather we are having. And guess what my husband had as his porridge topping today?

Original post with ingredients in cups and grammes!

Ok perhaps not the most appropriate dessert for the fourth of July, but I have not met a man who hasn’t loved this dessert, or proper pudding as we, the ousted Brits, would say.

My main motivation for making it however was the wonderful new heart-shaped casserole dish my mum sent me for my wedding anniversary.  So cool, I love it.  It is also so large that I use a double recipe to fill, which is why I put rhubarb and strawberries in one side and plums in the other. Apple and blackberries would also work beautifully.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Related Posts

Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen

Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen

Post and photographs by Carolyn Eddie. Additional Photographs by the always fabulous Kate Stoupas This post is a joint effort. My lovely friend, Kate Stoupas, a professional photographer, came to visit me when I first arrived in Copenhagen. Over four days, Kate took the most wonderful […]

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
What the connection between Black Cats, Pancakes and Mardi Gras?

What the connection between Black Cats, Pancakes and Mardi Gras?

Cats in a Barrel, Pancakes and Beads When we lived in Denmark, we discovered that the children get to dress up and the whole nation eats sticky buns. In the U.K., it is all about pancakes and, for most of the rest of the Christian world, […]

Print Friendly, PDF & Email