I love crumbles, but mine are always so basic. Is there a way to make them more exciting?
Jenny, Cardiff
Crumbles are the easygoing friend of the dessert world; they welcome all (fruits, nuts, spices, chocolate), are simple to rustle up, and they’re as happy dressed up as they are down. The real magic, however, lies in “that squidgy layer between the fruit and crumble”, says ex-River Cafe pastry chef Anna Higham, who opens Quince bakery in London this autumn. Once that’s cracked – the winning formula is “lots of [fruit] juices and enough crumble to soak it up” – there are all manner of ways to up your crumble game.
“Crumbles are quite soft, so I’m a big fan of texture in the topping,” says Matt Adlard, author of Bake it Better. Nuts do the job nicely: hazelnuts roasted “to get a really toasty, nutty flavour”, say, or mix things up with a combination of two or three varieties. In her tahini crumble, which appeared in the Guardian a few weeks ago, Melek Erdal adds chopped almonds, walnuts and pistachios to the usual flour/butter/sugar mix. Things get even more interesting with the inclusion of tahini, and some sesame and nigella seeds. This, Erdal says, results in “the best things you’ll ever make” – and she’s not kidding.
Nadiya Hussain, author of Nadiya’s Simple Spices, meanwhile, turns to a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and some demerara sugar “for crunch”; Yotam Ottolenghi has been known to add cornflakes for a breakfast vibe, or desiccated coconut, coffee grounds, cacao nibs, macadamia nuts and Thai palm sugar for something akin to cookie dough. “Palm sugar is stickier than caster sugar and has a caramel flavour,” he writes, and the results will be pleasingly “gooey in places and crisp in others”.
It’s also worth playing around with different flours, such as rye and spelt. “You don’t need structure,” Higham explains, “so swap in any flour you want.” Wholemeal, for instance, is a fine match for rhubarb and ginger (“I’ve been known to put lemongrass in there, too”), while buckwheat is “really delicious” with apples. And if apple crumble is on the cards, you may well want some quince in there as well. “Grate half into the chopped apple and it will make it floral and multidimensional,” Higham says. “If I’m feeling fancy, I might even add a bit of booze, such as brandy or whisky.” Citrus zest and a teaspoon of almond extract, Hussain says, “add something special”.
Speaking of almonds, the eminently sensible Adlard suggests baking “a little frangipane in the base of the dish before adding the fruit and crumble layers”. Because who doesn’t like surprise cake? “Frangipane is so easy to knock together, and ground almonds have that lovely, marzipan flavour.” Pears and chocolate would make a cracking next layer, he suggests: “You could poach the pears with star anise, a cinnamon stick, vanilla, a little orange peel for a nice burst of freshness.” Adlard then goes “all guns blazing” by crowning the lot with his roast hazelnut topping. “You’ve got the marzipan, the spiced pear, the crunchiness – in fact, I can’t stop thinking about crumbles now.”
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