Apple crumble

Made to Grandma's specifications (and Grandad's custard requirements).

For the topping you'll need:

4 oz flour (whatever you've got most of will do)
1.5 oz granulated sugar (brown demerara makes it nice and crunchy)
1.5 oz butter, cut into small pieces
a little cinnamon

Tip the flour, sugar and cinnamon into a large bowl, and mix. Add the pieces of butter, then attack everything with a fork - the idea is to break up the butter and combine it with the flour/sugar mix, until everything looks like fine breadcrumbs.

You'll also need:

4 or 5 cooking apples
a couple of tablespoons of sugar
a splosh of orange juice

Core and peel the cooking apples, and chop into smallish pieces. Shove in the bottom of an oven-proof dish with the sugar and orange juice.

Cover with the crumble topping, and pop in a hot oven (180 degrees C ish) for 20-30 minutes or so, until the apples are bubbling and the crumble top is golden brown (now I come to think of it, it's easier to see this if you've got a glass dish!).

According to Grandad, crumble has to be eaten with custard, preferably Bird's custard. I thoroughly agree - it's the best bit. You'll need to buy a tin of powder, and add milk and a little sugar.

Gruffalo crumble

We spent the morning in Chopwell woods, searching for brambles. The gruffalos had eaten most of them, but we managed a respectable lunchbox-full, despite being bombarded with shards of nuts from two squirrels who were nibbling away at the very top of a large oak tree.

For a small crumble for three you'll need:

a couple of apples (cooking apples would be best, but I only had dessert ones in the fruit bowl)
some brambles (a small lunchbox full)
a couple of tablespoons of granular sugar
2oz plain flour
a teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 oz butter
3/4 oz sugar

Peel, core and chop the apples, and stick at the bottom of a baking dish. Wash the brambles, and mix with the apples. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of sugar over the top.

To make the topping, rub the butter into the flour, and then stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Tip over the top of the apple/blackberry mixture. If you're really feeling fancy, you could add some flaked almonds on top.

Bake at 180 degrees C for half an hour or so - until the fruit is soft and the top is crispy and brown. Just watch out the gruffalos don't eat it all.