Rhubarb Crumble

The crumble mix being sprinkled on the fruit mix prior to baking.

Rhubarb Crumble is one of our favourite desserts, and can be made with the addition of apples or strawberries. The crumble too can be made more interesting with the addition of nuts and rolled oats. I tend to make the fruit compote and crumble in a big batch that will serve 10, but put the dessert together in servings as necessary. I freeze the fruit compote in servings of 4 or 2 and the crumble mixture is stored in a glass jar in the fridge ready for use.

Ingredients

Fruit compote
20 sticks of rhubarb, washed, trimmed and cut into 3cm chunks
A punnet of strawberries, washed and hulled
4 apples, peeled, quartered and cored
6 generous tbsp sugar

Crumble
150 g wholemeal flour
150 g rolled oats
150 g nuts (flaked or chopped)
150 g soft light brown sugar
150 g butter, cut into cubes

Method

1. Put all the fruit compote ingredients in a boiler with a splash of water, cover with a lid.
2. Slowly bring to a foaming boil on medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, covered.
3. Leave the fruit in the boiler to cool, with the lid on.
4. Heat the oven to 180C.
5. Rub the butter into the flour until it is all evenly combined.
6. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to mix well.
7. Put the fruit in a gratin dish then sprinkle on a covering layer of crumble.
8. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
9. Serve with custard.

The rhubarb came from some friends who have a thriving plant as well as from the Jardins Vergers de la Petite Rabaudière, my local organic market garden. They sell from the farm every Tuesday evening and are at the market in Preuilly-sur-Claise every Thursday morning. The strawberries came from here too. They were a punnet that needed to be used quickly and I got at a reduced price. One of the rewards of being a loyal customer.

The apples in the compote and the walnuts in the crumble are homegrown, from my orchard.

The sugar in the crumble is what in France is known as vergeoise blonde, made from sugar beet, but any soft brown sugar could be substituted.

The rolled oats came from the organic bulk buy section of a local supermarket.

The flour is locally produced and comes from the last working windmill in Berry and the butter from our local dairy co-operative at Verneuil.

Yum

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