The Sweetest Thing - Part 4

Rachael’s Apple Crumble

This winter weather has me craving for yummy warm desserts.  Apple Crumble has to be a favourite of almost everybody.  I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like it.  Here is Rachael’s "sweetest thing" favourite for the series. I was quite surprised by Rachael’s choice as she has become very well known in baking circles for her Lemon Slice – it’s almost world famous!  Maybe she will let me share that with you one day.

But for now this Apple Crumble is a family recipe handed down from her mum, who can't quite recall the exact origins of how it came about.  My guess is it is one of those authentic traditional recipes that has been around forever and a day passed on from generation to generation.  Delightful, delicious and you definitely need to make it this weekend.

What you need;

4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup processed oat bran or multi bran cereal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
60 grams butter
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoon sunflower seeds

What you do;

Stew* apples until soft.  Place into ovenproof dish.

Combine sugar and mixed spice and mix into apples. 

In a food processor, combine oats, bran, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Process until mixed to a crumble.  Add almonds and sunflower seeds and mix well.

Sprinkle crumble topping over apples, pressing mixture lightly together.

Bake in moderate oven for 30 minutes.

To complete this "sweetest thing" I would serve warm with a massive scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dollop of thickened cream – preferable double thick!  So naughty.

Thanks Rach.  Enjoy Friends. Xx

*To stew apples - peel and chop apples, put them in a pot add a little water and leave them on a medium/low heat, keep an eye on them so the pan does not boil dry.  If you would like some extra sweetness mix both cooking and eating apples.

The Sweetest Thing – Part 4 of 9

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The Sweetest Thing - Part 2

Keely's Peach & Raspberry Tart

Keely is the reigning ‘Trifile-off’ champion in the family from ‘The Sweetest Thing’ story I posted a few weeks ago.  Strangely enough there has yet to be another challenge after all these years.  But the sweet thing that Keely is best known for is her version of Donna Hay’s Peach & Raspberry Tart.  This has been her speciality for a few years now and it never gets tiresome. 

I still remember the first time she made it for me, I loved it.  The textures of the fruits with the simple base make it seem like an old fashioned crumble when you bite into it.  With the contrast of sweet peach and sour raspberry the flavours are a mini explosion. Serve it warm with double cream and ice cream to be really decadent!  You can still love it completely naked at room temperature too.  It’s just gorgeous either way.

This exquisite tart is perfect to take somewhere when you have been asked to bring something sweet because it looks like it’s off the shelf. Your friends will be very impressed when you tell them that you baked it and didn’t buy it from your favourite store on the way over. It is impeccable as a dessert but is so versatile that it’s very suitable to have for afternoon tea also.  Someone pop the kettle on please.

Give it a try this weekend.  Thank you sweet Keely x.

Keely’s Peach & Raspberry Tart

What you need;

125g (4 oz) butter, softened

1 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1½ cups self-raising flour
2 peaches, halved and cut into thin wedges*
150g (5 oz) raspberries*
2 tablespoons icing sugar

What you do;

Preheat oven to 160c (325F).

Line a 22cm round cake tin with a removable base with baking paper.

Place butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy. Add the eggs and beat well. Fold in the flour and spoon the mixture into the tin.

Top with peaches and raspberries and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Bake for 1 hour or until tart is cooked when tested with a skewer.

Remove from the tin and serve warm in wedges with vanilla ice-cream.

Serves 8 – 10

*Keely uses tinned sliced peaches and frozen berries

Taken from a Donna Hay cookbook "Off the Shelf: Cooking from the Pantry”.  Harper Collins, 2001.

The Sweetest Thing Series - Part 2 of 9.

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