Seasonal Fruit Crumble

Simple really is best with this classic British pudding. Jazz it up any way you like with spices and fancy fruits, but you can make a truly splendid pudding with just four basic ingredients - flour, butter, sugar and apples. I'm combining late summer fruits for this comforting pud but you can choose almost any fruity combination you like. My brother-in-law favours bananas in his crumble, which I have resolved to try myself, now that the shock has passed!

If you choose very tart fruits such as gooseberries or rhubarb, you will probably need to add sugar according to your own preference. Blackberries and raspberries freeze beautifully, so if you pick your own in the summer, freeze them and enjoy in crumbles throughout the winter months.

Equipment:

large mixing bowl
chopping board
sharp knife
vegetable peeler
rectangular enamel roasting dish (33cm x 24cm)
Tablespoon

4 medium apples, peeled and chopped
200g raspberries
200g blackberries
1-2 nectarines or peaches, chopped with the skins left on.

250g flour
130g salted butter, chilled and cubed
100g soft light brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius fan (338 degrees Fahrenheit).

2. Place the flour and butter in the large mixing bowl and rub in with your fingers until you have an evenly coarse mixture. Then mix in the sugar.

3. Tip the fruit into the enamel roasting dish and mix briefly with your hands.

4. Spoon the crumble mixture evenly over the fruit. You will probably find that some fruit pokes through here and there – it doesn't matter.

5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the crumble mixture is golden brown and delicious molten pools of red berry juice bubble up to the surface.

6. Enjoy with double cream, custard or ice cream.