It's very hilly where we live in Crystal Palace. And the park has wonderful sweeping tree-lined slopes, some Aspen pines among them. If you close your eyes there in winter you could imagine you're in Colorado. Except by the time we eventually got round to buying plastic sledges for the children (at an ambitious 20 quid each I hasten to add -- I'm sure the shop owner rubbed his hands together as Bee bought them) the snow was melting quicker than a 99 flake in Marbella. It was snølosing, as the Norwegians would have it among their many descriptions.So it was more like a muddy Colorado parking lot in late spring by the time we arrived. Sludging is more of an apt term. But seeing as the children didn't know any better -- we haven't had decent snow here in their young lives -- they had huge fun until Maya's lips started turning blue and she wanted her home comforts. Immediately.That morning had already seen me up at the crack of the ever earlier dawn having a text by text instruction from the chap who fitted our alarm ten years ago. For some reason, after all these years of perfect behaviour, it decides in the weeks leading up to our selling the house to start beeping loudly every 45 seconds.After disconnecting various panels he instructed me to disconnect one of the two wires. Sweat trickled down my brow in slow motion. With my breath held, I pulled out the red wire expecting alarmageddon. Nothing. Silence. Bliss. And seeing I was up, I went outside to get the paper that hadn't been delivered and grumbling like Muttley from Wacky Races came back in to make coffee. At least you can rely on coffee.So with all that excitment, after all that fresh air, some comfort food was just the thing. As a little treat for the crumble-loving fiends the children are, I secretly made these for them while they were glued to the telly. Individual crumble pots using up a couple of apples we had in the fruit bowl and some blackberries from the freezer. The braeburns are a great cooking apple for holding their shape and are a nice change from the cooking ones I normally use. It seems almost classier. Still, it takes a while for them to cook but you really don't have to do much. Perfect after an hour in the melting snow.It's such a quick to put together dish and much more delicious than the time and effort would suggest.Ingredients for two2 braeburn apples, cored and cut into segmentsa child's handful of frozen blackberries (or fresh if it's the season)1-2tbsp of golden caster sugar, dusted over the fruitA small shake of ground cinnamonA pinch of ground turmeric50g butter50g sugar100g plain flourMethodBriefly cook the fruit in a saucepan with some sugar, cinnamon and turmeric until starting to soften and the blackberries give up their juices.Make the crumble by mixing together the butter, sugar and flour until sandy and well combined.Divide the fruit between two tapas-style terracotta dishes top with the crumble (there will be some left over) and bake in the oven at 180c for about half an hour. Keep an eye on it and perhaps turn the tray around halfway through if it looks like it's catching. Serve warm.This weekRead:Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck. Funny in parts, bleak in others. And short. Which was a blessing.Watched:Derry Girls. Some great lines in there, and it's one hit after another on the soundtrack. I licky boom boom down.Listened:The Final Countdown, by Europe. Noah's eyes bulged with joy when it came on, as if he couldn't believe such amazing music could exist. He ran off to note down the songs in his notebook of music to listen to. He then informed me they sing 'The eye of the tiger' in assembly. What a school that must be.Eat:Roast chicken on a layer of thinly sliced potatoes with rosemary and garlic. It takes about five minutes to put together and then goes into the oven for a couple of hours to cook itself. The Parma ham on the top goes as crisp as frazzles and is delicious. The chicken came from Farmdrop which is doing great things.
How empires crumble
in Pastry/Baking, Recipes
Yesterday was a low-calorie day for me as I endeavour to return to the svelte, Adonis-like figure I had when young. Perhaps aiming for the slim figure I had when at art college where I survived on roll-ups and the occasional halloumi kebab is misguided.One thing that doesn't help on those days is when you have to spend the afternoon with apple crumbles surrounding you like the Devil on your shoulder. Taunting you, mocking your metabolism and lack of exercise. I held fairly firm, I mean you have to check your recipe tastes good before you let other people eat it don't you? But I decided I would make another one today and have a bloody great big bowl of it.This is one of the classic British puddings. Really simple, and with only a few steps, almost fool-proof. That doesn't mean there won't be complaints though. It's one of those dishes that is so full of childhood nostalgia that you can come a cropper if you leave the apple chunks too large, put blackberries in it, dust it with maple sugar, add orange zest or who knows what else. If it's not like the one your mother or grandmother used to make, it's not good enough. (That is assuming they could cook. They may have been complete disasters in the kitchen).Risking the wrath of my wife, I added thyme and blackcurrants to this one, as well as yeast to boost the appleyness of the Bramleys. Her portion disappeared in a flash.Ingredients1.6kg peeled, cored and chopped Bramley applesA punnet of blackberries (rhubarb or gooseberries are also great)Juice and zest of a lemon4tbsp caster sugar7g yeast, dissolved in 80ml warm water100g butterA handful of thyme leavesFor the crumble topping130g chilled butter130g golden, unrefined caster sugar260g plain flourMethodHeat the oven to 180cCoat the apple in the lemon juice, tossing well. Cook the chunks in the sugar, butter and yeast water until softened. Mash half of the apples, leaving the rest nice and chunky. Stir in the thyme and blackcurrants then transfer to a large baking dish.Grate the butter into the sugar and flour to make the topping. Rub it all together between your fingertips until it's sandy. A few lumps left here and there will give nice texture when it's cooked.Spread the crumble over the cooked apple and cook in the oven for about 45 minutes. The top should be golden and crumbly. Leave to cool a little and serve with ice cream. Or cream if you like that kind of thing. Which I don't, so it's wrong.