Serves 4
Ingredients
For the crumb
75g Shipton Mill gluten-free Oat Flour
50g Unsalted Butter, cubed
50g Golden Caster Sugar (optional)
Pinch salt
1-2tbsp gluten-free porridge oats (optional)
Fruit
500g ripe plums or nectarines, stoned and halved or any prepared fruit of your choice
Juice and zest of one orange
A little water
1-2 tbsp granulated sugar (optional)
Spices of your choice (such as cinnamon, cardamom, ground mixed spice, vanilla, star anise) to taste (optional)
Method
1. Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5.
2. Wash and prepare the fruit and place in a pan over a medium heat, adding the juice and grated zest of one orange and a little water to encourage cooking juices and extract a syrup from these juices and natural sweetness of the fruit. Add sugar and spices of your choice to the pan, if using, and stir into the other ingredients. Simmer gently over the heat for 5-10 minutes until just 'falling' so that the fruit is tender but retains its shape. Remove pan from the heat and set aside until just warm and the syrup is nice and gooey.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the crumb. Place oat flour and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl and add chilled butter, and rub between your fingers until the mixture forms fine 'breadcrumbs'. Add the sugar and porridge oats if using and stir thoroughly into the crumb with a metal spoon.
4. Spread out the crumb on a non-stick baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes until golden brown, remove from oven and set aside for a few minutes. If you have added porridge oats to the crumb it will have the taste and texture of granola and any leftovers may be mixed with dried fruit and nuts and served with your breakfast yoghurt the next day.
5. Now dress your plate. Place two or three tablespoons of the crumble in the centre of the plate and add about 3 tablespoons of the fruit, equivalent to 3 plum halves or 2 nectarine halves. Spoon a little of the syrup over the fruit and serve with natural yoghurt, custard or a dollop of double or clotted cream.