Asking me which fruit I enjoy most in my crumble is like asking me to pick a favourite child. I just can’t do it. You could present me with plain old apple, apple and blackberry, pear and ginger, rhubarb or gooseberry and I’d be more than happy to tuck in. I’m even fairly open minded about the whole cream/ice cream/custard debate. Seriously, it’s all good.
But asking me which crumble I enjoy making the most is an entirely different issue. While I relish the simplicity of unadulterated apple, this plum and pecan beauty will always win outright. There’s something so enticing about the way the ruby red fruit glistens as you pull it out of the oven, filling the kitchen with their sugary aroma. Drenched in sweet, buttery syrup, the juices bubble up and burst through the golden, nutty crumble topping in such a satisfying way. 
Originally from How to be a Domestic Goddess*, I’ve followed this recipe many times in the past. On this occasion the fruit was foraged; a kilo of plums presented to me by our friendly neighbour two doors down. Only this afternoon, he popped round with a bag of windfalls from his apple tree. I certainly don’t regret telling his wife just how much I love baking. ‘Hello dear,’ he says with a smile. ‘Margot thought you might want these for a pie or something.’
My new Le Creuset Oval Pie Dish {c/o House of Fraser} was the perfect vessel in which to bake such a comforting, homely pud. I’ve shared nostalgic kitchen memories of this iconic French brand before, and I’ve fallen for their stoneware just as readily.
You will need:
{for the filling}
- Approximately 1kg of plums
- 30g unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
- 2-4 tbsp light muscovado sugar, depending on sourness of fruit
- 1 scant tbsp cornflour
{for the crumble topping}
- 150g cold unsalted butter, diced
- 250g self-raising flour
- 150g demerara sugar
- 200g pecans, some chopped finely, some left larger or whole
1. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas mark 5 and put in a baking sheet.
2. Halve the plums and put them cut-side up in the dish. You may not need all of them, but squeeze in as many as will fit comfortably. Dot with the butter, sprinkle with sugar and place the uncovered dish in the oven for 20 minutes. You want the fruit’s juices to have run a little and the fruit itself to be moving towards tender.
3. While the plums are cooking, prepare the crumble topping. Rub the butter into the flour, either with your fingers {my preference} or in a free-standing mixer with the flat paddle. I’m inclined to agree with Nigella when she suggests the processor creates too fine a crumb. Fork the sugar and nuts into the crumble mixture, and set aside for a moment.
4. When the plums have had their time in the oven, pour some of the liquid into a small bowl in which you have placed the cornflour. Mix to a paste, then stir into the plum dish. Add the crumble topping, pressing down lightly around the edges, before placing the dish back on the baking sheet inside the oven. Bake for 25 minutes or until the crumble is cooked and speckled golden-brown.
Trust me, this crumble makes everything better. What will you be baking this weekend? Tempted by plum and pecan?
Love Audrey xxx
*affiliate link
