Crumble

This is the generic recipe for any kind of (sweet) crumble - the loose, slightly crunchy, topping that is more satisfying than a straightforward pastry crust. My favourite filling for a crumble is pear and banana.

Crumble topping, stolen from Nigel Slater:

• 120g plain flour (4oz)
• 85g butter (3 oz)
• 4 tbs golden caster sugar (4oz)
• 4 tbs ground almonds (2oz?)

Rub in the butter and flour to a breadcrumbs texture. Use a very light hand, or perhaps just mix it in with the edge of a cold knife blade, saving the fingerwork for the last few strokes. The result will be oilier than the same operation when making pastry. Then stir in the sugar and ground almonds, and finish with a tablespoon of water stirred in, to help it clump together a little. This is a decent quantity for a medium sized dish.

Put your favoured mix into a ceramic or pyrex dish, medium sized. I’d go for one large banana or two small ones, and 3-4 pears, depending on size. Peel, core and slice. Add a few dribbles of lemon juice to minimise browning while the fruit is left standing, and a couple of spoonfuls of sugar over the top.

Plums make an excellent crumble, with rather more sugar required. You can mix various soft fruit like raspberries or blackberries with sliced apples (eating types are best), gooseberries, rhubarb, and so on. The soft fruit often benefits from adding a sliced banana to give body to the flavour. Apples with cinnamon or cloves; and ginger with rhubarb can all work well.

Bake at 180C for 40 minutes.