As we head into September there are plenty of locally grown apples, pears, plums & soft fruits available. Our temperate climate gives them a great depth of flavour and they make wonderful crumbles, one of the most heartwarming, cosy of puddings; for me they really do herald the arrival of Autumn. Crumbles are so easy to make and can be easily adapted so do have a go a making some this year.
I have discovered a really brilliant carrot cake recipe recently, which I just have to share with you as it is incredibly easy and truly delicious! I hope you will agree that cake is always good, no matter what month it is!
Crunchy Fruit & Oat Crumble (serves 4)
15 minutes preparation time, 15-20 minutes cooking time
Ingredients
- 2-3 slices of bread (100g/3oz), crumbed (stale is fine)
- 50g (2oz) rolled oats (or muesli or granola)
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds (or sliced almonds)
- 400g (14oz) any fruit (e.g. 2 apples plus berries)
- 100ml (3ml oz) fruit juice (we use apple juice, but if you don’t have any fruit juice use a couple of teaspoons of jam or marmalade dissolved into 100ml (3fl oz) boiling water)
- 2 tablespoons of runny honey
Method
- Add crumbed bread, oats and seeds/nuts to a bowl and mix well.
- Chop the unpeeled, cored apples and put into an ovenproof dish with the berries and fruit juice.
- Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top then drizzle with honey.
- Bake in a preheated oven 1800C/Gas 6/3500F for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve immediately with a little greek yoghurt, custard or cream or for real decadence serve with
a Crème Anglaise.
Suzanne’s Favourite Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 8oz plain flour
- 6oz dark brown sugar
- 1tbsp mixed spices
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 8oz carrots
- 150ml sunflowr oil
- 1 orange zest
- 2 eggs
For the Syrup
- Juice of half an orange
- 2oz of caster sugar
Method
- Beat the eggs, sugar and oil together
- Sift in the flour, spice and bicarbonate of soda
- Fold in the orange zest and the grated carrot.
- Bake in a loaf tin for approximately 50 minutes at 1500 C
- While the cake cooks make the syrup by mixing together the orange juice and caster sugar
- Turn the cake out of the tin onto a cooling rack and drizzle the syrup over the top
Enjoy!
Suzanne is a professional chef, wife and mother who has lived in East Dulwich, London all her life.
You can email Suzanne with any comments or questions at info@suzannejames.co.uk
In season this month:
Fruit, Nuts & Fungi
Apples, blackberries, blueberries, damsons, elderberries, figs, grapes, greengages, loganberries, peaches, pears. Lots of lovely mushrooms; Porcini, chanterelles, field mushrooms, horse mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, parasol mushrooms, puffballs, giant shaggy ink caps and summer truffles
Vegetables & Herbs
Artichoke, aubergine, beetroot, borlotti beans, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, courgettes, cucumber, fennel, French beans, garlic, horseradish, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsnips, peppers, potatoes (maincrop), pumpkins & squash, rocket, runner beans, salsify, scorzonera, sweetcorn, tomatoes, watercress
Meat & Game
Farmed goose, grouse, mallard, rabbit, wood pigeon