Apple and Rhubarb Crumble Recipe from The Ridge House
If you're looking for a special winter treat, Green Hills Farm's Apple and Rhubarb Crumble is the perfect choice. Created by owner Kristy using the farm's organic produce, this delectable dish is a guest favourite at The Ridge House who order the dinner add-on. The addition of seasonal treats such as summer strawberries or autumn poached quince when available takes it to the next level.
This heartwarming dessert is best served with a dollop of ice cream, custard, or vanilla spiced cream. And if you happen to have any leftovers, they can be used as a delicious topping for breakfast porridge or yogurt. Additionally, crumbles freeze well, making them perfect for batch cooking with an abundance of fruit.
Ingredients
Filling
4-5 stalks of rhubarb (washed, leaves removed, chopped into roughly 2cm pieces)
4 apples (any firm seasonal ones will do)
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 lemon (zest and juice)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla paste
Crumble
1/2 cup plain flour
90g cold salted butter, chopped into small cubes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Method
Preheat oven to moderate, 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a medium ovenproof baking dish.
Filling
In a medium high-sided skillet or frypan, add rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and water. Bring to boil and gently simmer for five to eight minutes until rhubarb softens and starts to break down. Be careful not to over stew the rhubarb here.
Remove from heat and stir through the chopped, uncooked apples ensuring they are well coated with the saucy rhubarb mixture. Spoon mixture into your baking dish.
Note: I have found that if you also cook the apples the filling becomes too mushy during the oven baking time. The apples will cook in the oven keeping some texture bite to the crumble.
Crumble
Place sifted flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Work the butter in using fingertips until mixture resembles crumbly topping. You want to get to a point that when you squeeze the mixture in your hand it can hold its shape. Place handfuls over your fruit filling ensuring you get all corners and edges well covered.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Tip: Place a baking tray on the oven rack below your pie dish to catch any liquids that bubble up and spill over – saving cleaning the bottom of your oven.
Serve warm with cream, custard, mascarpone or ice cream.
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