Individual rhubarb and berry crumbles

Ingredients

Crumble topping:

• 250g flour
• 125g ground almonds (or use a total of 375g flour)
• 375g brown sugar, packed tightly
• 200g rolled oats, finest cut available
• 100g almonds, chopped or flaked
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 250g butter, melted

Fruit filling:

• 500g fresh rhubarb, peeled and chopped into 1cm pieces
• 400g berries
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 125g sugar

To serve:

• Creme fraiche, vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
• A few fresh raspberries

Method

The trick to not having a soggy crumble is to thicken the fruit juices by mixing a little cornflour into the raw fruit before cooking. I like to make crumble topping in bulk as it is handy for so many uses. This recipe makes more than you’ll need for one crumble – the remainder can be frozen or stored in the fridge for up to four weeks

Preheat oven to 160°C. First prepare the crumble topping by placing all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stirring well to combine. Add the melted butter and mix with a wooden spoon until evenly combined.

Divide rhubarb and berries between six to eight 15cm ramekins.

Mix the cornflour with the sugar and sprinkle it evenly over the fruit. Spread about 8 tbsp of crumble topping evenly over the fruit in each ramekin, pressing down firmly. Bake until golden and crisp – about 40 minutes. Serve topped with a spoon of creme fraiche, vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and accompanied by fresh raspberries.

Store the remaining crumble topping in the fridge or freezer for later use.

The Free Range Cook

Annabel Langbein is a cook, food writer and publisher who believes in using good quality, seasonal, locally sourced produce. Her book The Free Range Cook is in 1 in 4 New Zealand households.