Blackberry and Apple Crumble. For the Win!!!! [How To Make]

 

Date: 17/9/2013

Background: I was dawdling around Tesco the other day and saw some Blackberries for sale for only £1. The first thing I thought about was… CRUMBLE! So here we are.

What: Apple and Blackberry Crumble

Ingredients:

• 1 Bramley (Cooking) Apple
• 100g punnet of Blackberries
• 100g Caster Sugar
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 100g Self Raising Flour
• 50g Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190C
2. Peel and core a Bramley Apple, and cut into slices
3. Place in the bottom of a (microwavable) Pyrex serving dish
4. Drizzle with the lemon juice to prevent discolouration of the fruit, and sprinkle with 25g of the Caster Sugar
5. Microwave for 2minutes at full power
6. Drain the liquid from the apple
7. Add the blackberries to the warm, soft apple and gently stir to incorporate, being careful not to break apart the fruit
8. In a separate bowl, gently rub together the cold butter to the flour and cinnamon, to create a crumb texture. Cold hands and cold butter are essential to prevent the butter melting!
9. Stir in the sugar to the crumb mixture
10. Pour the crumble topping over the fruit and gently compress
11. Bake in a preheated oven for 30-40mins or until the crumble is golden brown
12. Serve warm with cream/ice cream

What was Good: Winter is heeeeeerreeeee! This means roast dinners and hot crumbly delicious puddings! The blackberries added a tangy sour edge to counteract the sweetness of the apple and biscuity goodness of the crumble. I added the cinnamon to pair deliciously with the apples. Because after all who doesn’t love apple and cinnamon!? But as I am sure you have gathered if you have read my blog before, my FAVOURITE combination is HOT and COLD! The hot soft fruit slowly melts the vanilla ice cream, and the delicious dessert fills up your tummy and makes you feel enveloped in a warm hug!

What was Bad: This pudding went down so well with my parents and I, genuinely think that there was nothing I would do to improve it. My mum said that she the only improvement would be there be more of it!

Would I Make Them Again: Yes I would. You can never go wrong with a crumble.

Waffle-O-Meter:

Return of the Nando’s-Carrot-Cake, Owls and Pie In the Garden

 

May time was a good month for pudding, my loyal pudding followers. I have made practically no pudding as of late. Laziness is probably the most likely excuse for this. *Hangs head*

BUT, I have eaten some pretty snazzy pudding related items this month! For example, Return of the Nando’s Carrot Cake, Tea-for-two-which-could-actually-feed-about-four-people and Pie in the Garden!

Some of the Midwives made another trip to our Portugese Hunting Ground that is Nando’s in the sort of start of May. For some nice food, bevvys (non-alcoholic for the drivers) and CAKE. With the usual very courteous and friendly service from our Nando’s waitress (seen posing with my carrot cake right here) Hint: Charlotte is not the waitress. Plus she had Toffee Cheesecake, apparently that was pretty fit as well… Maybe next time I will gather the courage to try a different pudding from the Chicken-Experts, BUT CARROT CAKE IS TOO AMAZING. You will have noticed this theme through out my blog this past year. It is probably the cinnamon and spicy flavours combined with the textures of soft cake with nutty nuts within, and soft smooth cream cheese frosting. Either way, WINNING. And I still think that this Nando’s Carrot Cake deserves the 4 1/2 Waffles I bestowed upon it last time

 

An exciting discovery made this month was that of LUNCHBOX SIZED MALT LOAVES! Personally it took me some time, but in the past year or so, Malt loaf has become a very important and influential part of my life. One of the nicest snacks in the whole world is sliced malt loaf, sandwiched together with smooth creamy butter. It is chewy and rich, fruity and yet densely flavourful. So when  one of the midwives at work brought in these bad boys, the excitement within the room was palpable. The problem I found with them however, was that they do not come with butter. So if you want butter with them then you have to take some to work with you… Which kind of takes away the whole point. But I still find them very joyful and tasty. Becase A) they are malt loaves, and B) they are mini, and mini things are amazing.

 

I took my Mum to Dobbie’s Garden Centre one Saturday this month. This is the benefit of having a car!! Oh how I have missed it! Not because I love Garden Centres, but they are definately renowned for good tasty cake and pudding! They had an offer on that day, £9.95 for Afternoon-Tea-For-Two. A selection of sandwiches, cake and tea/coffee. Sounded good to me!! But trust me, we were not expecting THIS!!!! 3 tiers comprising of sandwiches, Millionaires Shortbread, Meringues, Vanilla Slices and if that was not enough, a Cherry/Sultana scone each complete with Jam and Cream!!!! OM NOM FRICKIN NOM! We thought we wouldn’t be able to manage it between us. But needless-to-say we certainly coped quite well! Each component was delicious! Freshly made and very tasty. And it all looked so so pretty! The scone for me was the highlight. They were obviously freshly baked as they were crunchy on the outside but light, warm and soft on the inside, and combined with the strawberry jam and whipped cream, truly was the icing on the cake (LITERALLY! ) So for those that love afternoon teas, and want to try one that is simply spectacular, and very reasonably priced. You must try Dobbie’s Garden Centre!! 5 Waffles!!

To continue with the Scone theme. In the lovely sunny May weekend weather, my parents, grandparents and I went to Lamport Hall Country Show. It was a nice day out that we have attended for many many years. Consisting of shops and stalls selling allsorts of crafts, food, plants, antiques etc, and also a fair and tractor/vintage car show. When there is nice weather, the natural reaction is to picnic. My grandma being the star she is, fully arranged this, complete with pear cider out of plastic champagne glasses! But there was no shop bought pudding for us!! Grandma made her signature scones. Freshly baked, soft, fruity sultana scones filled with butter and jam for us to enjoy. I will try and snaffle the recipe off her so that I can attempt to recreate them as an adult. Because as a child you see this was one of the first confections my Grandma taught me to make . With my Gradma’s effort, skill and the fact is was very sunshiny, she definately deserves another 5 waffles. OH, AND THERE WERE OWLS! I don’t think they would have tasted as nice…

The final pudding of note in the month of May that I have not covered was a delicious Apple and Blackberry Pie in the garden . But this was not just any old pie. This was a succulently fruity, warm and satisfying Mark’s and Spencer Lattice pie. Crispy pastry, juicy and tart fruit, baked till hot and served with cold vanilla ice cream. I honestly don’t remember the last time I had a fruit pie that was this nice! I certainly don’t think I have ever blogged about one anyway! I would definitely recommend this pudding supreme to you lovely people! The fruit was not soggy, and kept its shape and flavour, whilst giving a wonderful summery colour to the dessert, and Mary Berry would certainly approve of the lack of soggy bottom! So play some Fleetwood Mac, and pretend you are in the M & S adverts whilst nomming this beauty!

Who Knew Garden Centre's Were Hiding Such Marvels?

Date: 4/10/12

Background: Spending some time in Rugby with my Mumsy and G'rents- Mum wanted to go to a garden centre. So destination Bloom's!

How Much?: £2.95

What was Good: It was so homely looking! It could quite easily have been sat in a tin on my Grandma's kitchen work top on a Sunday afternoon! The top of the cake was decorated with what appeared to be glazed rings of dried apple. The cake itself was golden in colour and was sat proud in it's glass display, just waiting to be devoured.
The texture was crumbly, yet moist, not cloggy or stodgy, and was light enough to make eating the whole slice a delight, not a challenge. This was complimented by the sultana's within the cake. The flavour was very delicate actually, with an initial hit of spice from the mixed spice and cinnamon, and with an after-note of apple. This spiciness was partnered with the lovely filling, could it be cinnamon butter-cream? Or could it be a cinnamon flavoured cream cheese frosting? Regardless of what it was it was lovely, not too much and so did not make the pudding too sickly.
All in all, this was a beautiful cake! I would happily eat this again! Maybe I will start going to garden centres more often?

What was Bad: The only criticism would be the apple slices on the top of the cake. They were a bit too chewy and that is what made me think they were dried apple slices. I may be wrong but maybe fresh apple slices would be better? Other than that, I want more!

Waffle-O-Meter:

 

Keep you eyes peeled (get it ) for my next blog about my HOMEMADE Nigelissima Breakfast Banana Bread!