Apple and Rum Crumble
Kids love crumble, and you don’t need to worry because any alcohol will be cooked out of the rum in this version, leaving only the gorgeous flavour. Crumble was one of my favourite puddings when I came to school in London. And you’ve got to serve it with custard or cream: that’s the rule.
4 cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into medium chunks 30g (1oz) butter 2 tbsp dark brown muscovado sugar 5 tbsp rum 1tsp ground ginger good pinch of cinnamon 1 tbsp plain flour custard or cream(or both), to serve
FOR THE TOPPING
200g (7oz) butter, cut into small pieces, plus 30g (1oz) to dot on top 200g (7oz) plain flour, pinch of salt 100g (31⁄2oz) dark brown muscovado sugar.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6.
Put the apples into a little simmering water and cook for 5 minutes, or 10 if you want the apple to be softer. Meanwhile, make the crumble topping. To do this in a food processor, put all the ingredients in the processor bowl and pulse until you have a breadcrumb texture. To make the topping by hand, rub the butter into the flour and salt until you have a breadcrumb texture, then stir in the sugar.
Drain the apples. Smear butter around a wide ovenproof dish (about the size of a piece of A4 paper is perfect) that gives plenty of space for the delicious crumble topping. Put the apples in the dish. Sprinkle over the muscovado sugar, rum, ginger, cinnamon and flour and stir them roughly into the apples. Spread the crumble topping over in an even layer. Dot with the remaining butter
Put on a baking sheet in the oven for 35–45 minutes, until slightly brown on top, and serve with custard or cream.
