Anyhoo, in my other job as host of my Into The Unknown podcast, I've played several of Lorraine's tunes over the course of the last year. I love her quirky style and offbeat humour, but as a food blogger, I am trying to find out exactly what goes into a Christmas Crumble.While I do that, watch this video where Lorraine details how to do the Christmas Crumble Dance.
Here's a recipe I found, by James Tanner:
Christmas Crumble
3 rhubarb stems
2 tbsp light muscovado sugar
1 orange, juice only
pinch ground cinnamon
55g/2oz plain flour
pinch ground mixed spice
2 tbsp finely chopped butter
1 tbsp caster sugar
Preparation method
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
Trim and peel the rhubarb. Cut the rhubarb into chunks and place into a pan over a medium heat.
Add the light muscovado sugar, orange juice and cinnamon. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the rhubarb is tender but still holding its shape.
Meanwhile, sieve the flour and mixed spice into a bowl.
Add the butter and rub into the flour mixture with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the caster sugar and stir to combine.
Transfer the stewed rhubarb to an ovenproof dish and sprinkle over a thin, even layer of the crumble topping.
Transfer the crumble to the oven to bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the topping is cooked through and lightly golden-brown.
Serve with custard or cream.
And here's my variation, a good way to use up any leftover mincemeat you have from making mince pies!
Jeff's Christmas Apple Crumble
For the crumble
35g rolled oats
35g wholemeal flour
20g caster sugar
35g butter
For the filling
400g cooking apples, peeled, cored and quartered
50g sugar, to sweeten
Mincemeat
1 tablespoon water
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Peel and core the apples, quarter and cut into small chunks or slices.
Put the apples and sugar into a small ovenproof dish. Depending on how much leftover mincemeat you have, place small spoonfuls evenly in between the apple.
Place the flour and oats in a bowl and mix well. Cut the butter into small cubes and add this to the oats and flour. Mix with your fingertips until it resembles an even crumb texture. Add the sugar and mix through.
Cover the fruit with the crumble mixture. Bake for approximately 25 minutes until the crumble is golden and the apple hot.
Serve with custard, cream or ice cream, or even brandy butter if you like!
N.B. For our overseas cousins who are perhaps unfamiliar with mincemeat, here's an overview.
Mincemeat is a mixture of chopped dried fruit, distilled spirits and spices, and sometimes beef suet, beef, or venison. Originally, mincemeat always contained meat. Many modern recipes contain beef suet, though vegetable shortening is sometimes used in its place. Variants of mincemeat are found in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, northern Europe, Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. It is highly unusual for mincemeat these days to contain any actual meat. Here's a recipe to make your own, but it's easier to nip out and pick up a jar or two.
900 g cooking apples, grated
700 g raisins
350 g currants
225 g sultanas
100 g mixed peel
175 g margarine
1/2 tsp mixed spice
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 lemons, grated zest
680 g granulated sugar
8 tbsp brandy
Soak the apples, raisins, sultanas and currants in the brandy and lemon juice for 1 hr until plumped up, then drain and set the brandy aside. Mix all the ingredients together, then pour in the brandy when everything else is well mixed. Spoon and press into sterilised jars, to exclude any air (the easiest way to sterilise jars is to run them through a dishwasher on its hottest setting). Cover and leave for at least a fortnight. Will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Kooshti Sante!
Kooshti Sante!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Come on and chew the fat!