Apple Crumble

This is one of the easiest desserts to put together and it never fails to impress! You don't need to confine yourself to apples only. I have used bananas, plums, peaches and pears with great success.

                          

The crumble

Flour                    1 cup

Butter         (cold)          ½ cup, cut into pieces

Demerara sugar    ½ cup

The filling

Apples                 4 nos, peeled, cored and sliced

Brown sugar                  ¼ cup if the apples are tart.

2 Tbls should suffice if the apples are sweet.

Cinnamon            ¼ tsp

Nutmeg                ¼ tsp

Raisins (opt)                  2 Tbls

Method

Butter a 9x12” glass dish lightly. Arrange the sliced apples in the dish and sprinkle the sugar and spice powders over the apples. Sprinkle the raisins on top.

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter along with the sugar into the flour, using the tips of your fingers only, in order to keep the mixture light, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

You can use a pastry blender as well.

Spread the crumble mixture evenly over the apples in the dish and press down lightly.

Bake in a moderately hot (375°F, 190°C) preheated oven for about 45 mins to an hour or until the crumble starts to brown on top.

If you find that your crumble topping is browning too quick, cover the dish with aluminium foil until the apples are cooked when poked with a skewer.

Serve either warm or cold with fresh cream or ice cream.

Crumble tip: You can use oats along with the flour as a variation. 1:1

                     Cornflakes and flour 1:1 along with 2 Tbls of chopped walnuts works well too.

Stuffed Capsicum (Bell peppers)

This filling is awesome to use in toasted sandwiches as well! 

I always like to blanch capsicum before filling. This way the oven time is reduced and the vegetable retains its shape.

The quantities mentioned for the filling can be used to fill four large capsicum halves. 

Capsicum                       3 large

Cut these into half and remove all the pith and seeds taking care that you don’t damage the halves while doing this. Choose capsicums that are flat at both ends so that you can stand them up on a tray after filling.

Blanch the capsicums for about 4 – 5 mins. Drain well. Set aside while you prepare the filling.

The filling

Oil                                                     1 ½ Tbs

Onion, chopped fine                          ½, cup

Paneer (Indian cottage cheese)          200 gms, grated

Green chillies (opt)                            2, chopped fine

Corn, cooked                                     ½ cup

Mint, chopped fine                             2 Tbs

Seasoning

Cheese sauce                                     made out of 1 ½ cups of liquid

Breadcrumbs for sprinkling on top

Method

Heat the oil and sauté the onions until just wilted. Add the grated paneer and the green chillies and stir for about 3 – 4 mins until the mixture starts clumping together. 

Stir in the cooked corn and the finely chopped mint. Season lightly, keeping in mind that the cheese sauce will have salt as well. I used paprika and a sprinkling of garlic salt.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Cheese sauce

Butter                                                1 ½ Tbs

Oil                                                     1 tsp

Flour                                                 ¼ cup

Milk                                                  1 cup

Vegetable stock from blanching corn  ½ cup

Salt &pepper to taste

Cheese                                              ⅓ cup grated

Gently heat the butter and oil in a heavy bottomed pan, stir in the flour and cook over medium heat for 1 or 2 mins stirring continuously with a wire whisk. Add the milk and the vegetable stock and gently bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Reduce heat and simmer for a couple of mins. The mixture will thicken considerably. Remember that the sauce is to be used for binding the filling together so that it holds together when stuffed into the capsicum.

Add seasoning, turn off the heat and blend in the grated cheese.

Blend the filling into the cheese sauce and let it cool.

Fill the capsicum cases with the filling. Even out the top. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and bake in a hot oven for about 25 mins or until the tops are evenly browned.

You can also cook them in a microwave oven (combination mode) for about 15 mins.

 Very good as a side dish with roasted meat.