For Sid and Jackie
This recipe is not for the pudding I made when Sid and Jackie came to lunch at my house in London in July 2010, when on their way from Oxford to Paris. As can be seen above, Sid was keeping Jackie and me entertained with a story. That summer’s day, I made an open flan of raspberries and red currants on a filo base, engendering agreement amongst us that filo pastry was something you only attempted to make at home once, whereafter you resorted, with relief, to the commercial versions. That day too, Sid graciously agreed to write the Foreword for the Handbook of Food Research I was editing,** later, providing an invigorating and shrewdly judged piece, right on time. I never stopped learning from listening intently to what Sid said; he was both generous and gentle with his observations.
This recipe is not for the pudding I made when Sid and Jackie came to lunch at my house in London in July 2010, when on their way from Oxford to Paris. As can be seen above, Sid was keeping Jackie and me entertained with a story. That summer’s day, I made an open flan of raspberries and red currants on a filo base, engendering agreement amongst us that filo pastry was something you only attempted to make at home once, whereafter you resorted, with relief, to the commercial versions. That day too, Sid graciously agreed to write the Foreword for the Handbook of Food Research I was editing,** later, providing an invigorating and shrewdly judged piece, right on time. I never stopped learning from listening intently to what Sid said; he was both generous and gentle with his observations.
Had that particular visit
been in winter, however, I would have baked an apple crumble – one of the
simplest and most forgiving puddings to prepare. I have chosen it to
remember visits in Baltimore and in London – and to think of Sid.
Apple crumble is beloved by
all my grandchildren. The four youngest (currently aged between 7 and 11)
are especially keen, for it is not just that they enjoy eating it, they
particularly like making it, with the stage of using their fingers to rub the
butter into the flour being their favourite part –they call it “tickle flour”.
If available, a Bramley
cooking apple is good in this dish. Bramley is the English variety of
apple (which I think may not be exported) which has a lovely complex flavour
and goes light and airy when cooked. Any variety of apple will do very
well, however, as would pears, plums or rhubarb instead. If, by chance,
this winter dish is made in June, adding a couple of heads of rinsed
elderflowers (remove before serving) gives a delicate, faintly musty, flavour,
and a September version gets an unexpected touch of acidity with the addition
of a head or two of ripe elderberries or a greater juiciness by mixing in three
or four handfuls of blackberries. Indeed, it is a really flexible recipe
all round; a little less butter if you do not have much in the house still works;
not enough flour in the cupboard obliging you to make a smaller amount of
topping also still works; and the quantities of sugar in either filling or
topping can be adjusted to taste. Anyone preferring margarine for baking
instead of butter is just fine too. Even what has been neglected at the
bottom of the fruit bowl for a shade too long recovers under the crumble.
If wanting to cut back on refined foodstuffs, replacing the sugar
sprinkled over the apple with raisins, sultanas or sliced dried apricots
sweetens the filling in a subtler fashion. It can also be made in
individual ramekins (which the grandchildren like, because they can ‘customise’
their own filling) which may mean reducing the cooking time. It also
freezes well – defrosting and re-heating in a microwave oven is quick and works
perfectly.
**(with Warren Belasco and
Peter Jackson)
Apple Crumble
Ingredients
For the filling
3 large cooking apples or 4
medium size eating apples, or a mixture of the two
– I never peel them, just run them under the tap
1 scant tablespoon sugar
– most recipes give double that; more may be needed if the
apples are under-ripe
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
(optional)
pinch ground cloves
(optional)
For the crumble topping
6 oz. plain flour – sifted
4 oz. butter – at room
temperature
3-4 oz. sugar – some like
to use caster sugar or demerara sugar
3 oz. rolled oats (Quaker
porridge oats or equivalent) or 2-3 oz. ground almonds (optional)
Method
Set the oven to 375°F (a
little lower if you are using a fan oven).
Slice and core the apples,
then cut them into chunks. Do not make the chunks unduly small or the
crumble will fall between the pieces and go soggy in the juice. Put the
chunks into an oven-proof dish (approx. 7 x 9 inches with enough depth to allow
for the crumble to be added on top). Some people grease the dish and/or
like to add a tablespoon of water, though I usually forget to do both.
Mix the cinnamon and cloves (if using) with the sugar and sprinkle over
the apple pieces and set aside.
Tip the flour into a large
mixing bowl, add the butter cut into small pieces, and rub in with the tips of
your fingers until it all looks like bread crumbs (you can always pulse the
mixture in a food processor if preferred). Add the sugar, along with the
oats or almonds if using, and mix gently until everything is combined.
Sprinkle the resulting
crumble over the sugared apples. Do not make it too thick lest it does
not cook through in the middle and resist the temptation to press the topping
down or it will go hard and ‘cake’ together.
Bake for 30-40 minutes
until the top is golden and the juice from the apples is beginning to bubble up
around the edges.
Serve just as it is, or
with unflavoured yoghurt, cream, vanilla ice-cream or custard.
