Peach & Pear Crumble

My bargain pyrex bowl - £1 in a charity shop last xmas!
I quite like the flowery sort of shape!

Ok so hands up - who doesn't like a good pudding on a Sunday afternoon??  So whilst being dairy/soya free can seem a little restricting at times where puddings are concerned the peachicks seem to manage perfectly ok.  Their absolute favourite is currently crumble inspired by their great favourite book The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson... when asked what they would like for their pudding after their sunday roast each week the same answer comes back... Gruffalo Crumble (not sure what they would actually do if I did give them gruffalo crumble)... Mummy says lovely how about fruit instead??  One crumble they seem to get a lot of is tinned peach &... either apples, pears or frozen mixed berries.  As the veggie box came yesterday they are getting pear with their tinned peaches!

Now I know traditionally crumble topping is made with butter but obviously we can't do that so I tend to use Vegetable oil instead.  Its cheaper than dairy-free spread and if you make a big batch it will freeze very well and has the added advantage of being able to be mashed together with a fork instead of having to rub the butter in... I DO NOT DO GREASY HANDS!! so for me this is a good way of making crumble otherwise we'd never have it!  To be honest I have made this in the food processor too but it still needs breaking up with a fork afterwards.

CRUMBLE TOPPING!

Ingredients:

• 8oz plain flour
• 3oz vegetable oil
• 3oz sugar
• 3oz rolled oats
• 2tsp ground ginger OR cinammon  (or neither or both!)

Put the flour and spices into the bowl (or food processor) and mix with a fork (or pulse) until makes a thick paste-like mixture.

Add the sugar and oats and mash/squash with the fork (or pulse again) until combined - it takes a while stick with it!

Once the sugar and oats are combined into the mixture rake through with the fork to separate it - it will be moist to touch but not sticky and should separate into what looks like oversize breadcrumbs but not be clumpy!

Store in a food bag or tupperware box in the freezer until needed!  Keeps for ages and doesn't usually clump so can be used from freezer.

PEACH & PEAR CRUMBLE!

Ingredients:

• 1 batch of crumble topping
• 1 tin of peaches plus juice/syrup
• 2 small pears chopped and peeled.
• handful of sultanas 

Drain the peaches (Keep the juice/syrup) and add to your favourite crumble making dish (mine is a bowl about 7inches across at its widest).  

Roughly chop the peaches and add the peeled chopped pears.  If you chop the pears into a small dice they will go soft in the oven - No pre-stewing of fruit around here!

Sprinkle on handful of sultanas and stir - pour over enough syrup just to half cover the fruit.

Now for the crumble - either sprinkle sparingly or pile on - its up to you... The peachicks love the crumble top so I pile it on!

Bake for 35-40mins at 180C





The theme for this month's Tea Time Treats is Puddings!!! So off goes my little crumble into Tea Time Treats for February!  TTT is a monthly blogging event hosted this month by Kate (What kate baked) and Karen (Lavender and Lovage).

x