Gooey Apple Crumble

So, in keeping with the "healthy lifestyle choices" I have been trying to search for desserts that aren't so full of tasty, delicious calories and fat. I've been making a lot of high fibre things lately - bran muffins, fig loaf....recipes coming once I get them right.

With "healthy" in mind I've been stocking up on fruit and vegetables and had some apples and pears that just didn't get eaten - there's only so much fruit I can eat each day! They were beginning to turn slightly mushy which I HATE! I love fruit but overripe fruit, even slightly, puts me off straight away.

Instead of throw away my squishy fruit I decided it was time for a (maybe slightly healthy?) dessert. It has fruit in it!

Gooey Apple Crumble

Apples

3 or 4 apples (I also had a pear so I chucked that in too!)

55 grams of butter

2/3 cup of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons of rum

You can peel the fruit if you want, last time I made this with pears I peeled the skin and it was ok. I left the skin on this time and I think it just adds something to the texture. Plus all the best bits of fruit are in the skin. Cut the fruit into small chunks and discard the cores.

Now, this is important, use a big saucepan. As fruit cooks it oozes out all of its aromatic, delectable, flowing juices. If you use a small saucepan it becomes aromatic, delectable OVERflowing juices which are annoying to unstick from, well...everywhere. Put your butter and brown sugar in the big saucepan on a medium heat, stir slowly as they melt together.

Add the fruit, lemon juice and rum to the butter mixture in the saucepan. The fruit will ooze out it's juices so let the whole mixture sit and simmer. This can take anywhere between 15 and 40 minutes depending on how much fruit you have ALSO it depends on how juicy you personally like things. I like my fruity desserts to have a bit of juice because I think it makes it nice when it's all mixed together with buttery pastry and cream but some people prefer desserts like this more dry...up to you. Just watch it and mix it until it is gooey enough for you.

Crumble

1 cup of plain flour

2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup of rolled oats

chopped nuts (probably walnuts but I used peanuts, I seem to be having some weird reaction to walnuts at the moment!)

100 grams softened butter

Meanwhile, while your fruit is stewing into caramelised goodness, turn the oven on to 180 degrees and combine all the dry ingredients. Add the butter and it's time to get a little messy. Use your fingertips to crumble the butter and dry mix together. Eventually it will look like large breadcrumbs.

When your fruit is ready (gooey, sticky and juicy to your liking) pour the fruit in to a pan or, if you want to try something cute, use ramequins so you have individual portions....this also helps to avoid immediate overconsumption! (If you choose the ramequins make them about 1/2 to 3/4 full of fruit so they don't overflow in the oven and ruin your crumble.)

Spoon the crumble mixture over the top, how thick you make it is up to you. If your fruit is nice and juicy make it thicker to soak up all the tasty juices. Put it all in the oven for about 20minutes until the crumble starts to turn golden and crisp on top.

Let the apple crumble cool before eating...if you can wait that long. Serve with cream or ice cream or both. It is gooey, appletastic goodness.