Pears are at their best in Autumn, and so I thought I would cook a few pear recipes. This week's is a crumble. A crumble is quick to make and very tasty. It can be on the table in about 45 minutes from go to whoa, or you can make it in the morning and just pop it into the oven in the evening.(I would add the crumble topping just before baking) I used Beurre Bosc pears, some Granny Smith apples and frozen mixed berries. I like adding apple because by themselves, pears can be a little bland I feel. You may not. Using fruit in season is also very economical!!! Don't use mixed frozen berries with strawberries. They just don't work.
My recipe is cobbled together from this month's Delicious Magazine and Stephanie Alexander!!
- 4 to 6 pears, peeled and diced
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
- 600g frozen or fresh mixed berries
- 50g butter
- 1/3 cup caster sugar
- 1-2 tspn cornflour if you like
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 150g plain flour
- 90g butter, cubed
- 1 tspn baking powder
- 1 tspn cinnamon
Preheat oven to 180*C.Place butter, sugar and pears and apples in a pan on the stove and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes. If you prefer your crumbles to be less runny, you can add a teaspoon or two of cornflour and boil for one minute to thicken the fruit. I didn't.
Make the crumble by sifting the flour and baking powder into a bowl, adding the sugar and cinnamon and then rubbing in the butter with the tips of your fingers. It is ready when it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Shaking the bowl gently will make any lumps of butter rise to the top so you can rub them in.
Pour berries into a 4-6 cup casserole dish or pie plate and then pour over the pear mixture. Cover with the crumble mixture and then place on a tray- to catch any juice that might boil over- and bake for 25-30 minutes. It will be cooked when the crumble is golden brown. I sometimes turn the temperature up to 200*C for the last 5 minutes and keep an eye on it.
Serve with cream, ice cream or custard. I used Ashgrove cream, it is wonderfully thick and from dairy about 40 minutes away from home.
