Soft cherries beneath a buttery blanket
The first crumble of the season.....
There is something quietly luxurious about warm fruit beneath a crumble ~ the way the syrup bubbles up at the edges, the way the spoon sinks through the golden crust to find something soft and yielding beneath.
It sounds silly, but this recipe came to me in a dream (well I think so, anyway, I’m a bit sleep deprived at the moment). Deep red cherries, sweetened with jam and gently cooked until glossy and rich, then blanketed with a nubbly, buttery crumble made from bran and oats. A bit more rustic than your usual crumble, the result is very, very delicious.
It’s the sort of pudding that feels like a warm embrace. Humble, yes, but softly celebratory, too. A dessert to make the beginning of winter, best eaten with flickering candles, and vanilla ice cream melting in little rivulets around the edges.
Orange-scented cherries topped with buttery bran crumble
For the fruit filling:
500g frozen pitted cherries
250g frozen strawberries or raspberries
½ cup strawberry or raspberry jam
Zest of one orange
½ cup water
For the crumble topping:
1 cup bran
1 cup rolled oats
100g butter, softened
½ cup coconut sugar
A pinch of sea salt
Method
In a saucepan over low heat, gently simmer the fruit, jam, zest and water for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture is syrupy and reduced slightly. Remove from heat and pour into a medium sized baking dish.
Next, make the crumble. In a mixing bowl, combine the bran, oats, softened butter, coconut sugar, and salt. Rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Scatter the crumble mixture generously over the cherries. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling.
Best enjoyed warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Serves 4-5
With love, Eleanor xxx