Raspberry and rhubarb crumble

Summer

When you sit down to a bowl of warm raspberry and rhubarb crumble, it’s easy to forget that the apple ever existed at all. In fact, you forget anything that begins with A, or anything green. For in that moment, your world literally crumbles away, leaving you with reds and gentle, sugary pinks and the magic that happens when these two ingredients are cooked together. I like to pack my crumble topping full of oats and bake it separately from the fruit, at least for a while. It becomes remarkably crunchy this way.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the oat crumble

100g (3½oz) plain flour
Pinch of fine sea salt
100g (3½oz) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
75g (2½oz) unrefined caster sugar
75g (2½oz) jumbo oats

For the filling

About 400g (14oz) rhubarb stalks, trimmed and cut into 2–3cm (¾–1¼in) pieces
About 200g (7oz) raspberries
100g (3½oz) unrefined caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

First, make the oat crumble. Heat the oven to 175°C/155°C fan/335°F/ gas mark 3–4. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and rub them thoroughly together until you have formed clumps and lumps.

Line a large baking tray with a piece of baking parchment. Tip out the mixture onto the tray and distribute evenly. Set aside.

Make the filling. Place the rhubarb in a 25cm (10in) baking dish. Add
the raspberries, sugar and vanilla along with a couple of tablespoons
of water and tumble everything together. Place the dish of fruit in the oven as well as the tray of crumble and bake for 20 minutes, turning the crumble mixture over three or four times during baking, until clumped together, biscuity and golden. Spoon the crumble mixture onto the fruit and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the rhubarb and raspberries are soft, the juices are bubbling away and the crumble is golden brown.

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