The Crunchiest Summer Fruit Crumble Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Make the topping: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, sugars, salt and spices. Stir in butter. Using your hands, squish mixture until coarse crumbs form. Some should be about 1/2-inch in size, some smaller.
• Spread topping in one layer onto a rimmed baking sheet. (You don't have to grease it first.) Bake until crumbs are solid when you gently poke them, and are fragrant, about 15 minutes. They won't change appearance very much. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool while you make the filling. (Crumbs can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.)
• Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch until well combined. Add fruit and gently toss to coat with the sugar mixture. Pour filling into an ungreased 2-quart gratin dish or 10-inch cake pan, mounding the fruit in the center.
• Spoon crumbs over filling and place the crumble dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any overflowing juices. (You can use the same baking sheet you cooked the crumbs on.) Bake until filling bubbles energetically around the edges, about 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream, if you like. Crumble can be made up to 8 hours ahead and kept at room temperature, or warmed up briefly in a 350-degree oven.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Sift the flour into a bowl and add the margarine.
• Using a fork or your hands, mash together the margarine and flour until it resembles breadcrumbs and there are no remaining lumps of margarine.
• Add the oats, sugar, and cinnamon to the flour and margarine mixture.
• Core the apple and/or pears, and stone the plums, if using. Chop all the fruit, keeping the skin on for added flavour, vitamins, and minerals, and put in an ovenproof dish in layers.
• Drain the sultanas and add to the fruit. Drizzle with the honey.
• Sprinkle over the crumble mixture. Bake for 20-30 mins until the crumble topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling. Serve with a large spoonful of natural yogurt, ice cream or crème fraîche.

Steps:

• Put the fruits in a pan or microwave dish with about 1 inch water in the bottom and cook gently for 10- 15 minutes (4- 6 minutes in microwave), or until the fruits are soft without being totally mushy.
• Sweeten to taste with honey or brown sugar (Saxons would have used honey); how much you need will depend on what fruits you have used.
• Drain the excess juice and save to serve with the pudding.
• Chop the hazelnuts in a processor or liquidiser until they are almost (but not quite) as fine as the breadcrumbs, and then mix the two together.
• Spoon the fruit into an ovenproof dish and cover with a thick layer of hazelnuts and crumbs.
• Bake in a moderate oven 350F for 20 - 30 minutes or until the top is slightly crunchy and browned.
• Serve with lots of cream or plain yogurt and the warmed fruit juices.