This recipe is so simple and versatile – I use it to top fruit throughout the seasons,” says chef Emily Scott.
“It is lighter than a traditional oat crumble topping, and delicious served with custard or crème fraîche.”
Blackberry and peach crisp
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
For the Amaretti crumble topping:
160g (5½oz) amaretti biscuits
80g (3oz/scant 1 cup) flaked (slivered) almonds
75g (2½oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
50g (2oz/scant ½ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
50g (2oz/scant ¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
For the bramble and peach filling:
350g (12oz) blackberries
6 peaches, skinned and stoned (pitted), sliced (if using frozen peaches, thaw and drain first)
100g (3½oz/scant ½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
3 tbsp cornflour (corn starch) slaked with 2 tbsp water
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan/400F/gas 6). For the crumble topping, blitz the amaretti biscuits with the flaked almonds in a food processor to a rubble.
2. In a mixing bowl, rub the butter and flour together to resemble breadcrumbs, then add the sugar along with the almond rubble and mix together.
3. Spread the mixture out over a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden. Allow to cool.
4. For the filling, place the blackberries, peaches, sugar, cornflour mixture, lemon zest and juice in a heavy-based saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer, stirring all the time to allow the sugar to dissolve. Cook until the fruit is tender.
5. Transfer to an oven-to-table baking dish and sprinkle over the amaretti crumble topping. Finish off in the oven for 5–6 minutes. Don’t forget the cream.
‘Time & Tide’ by Emily Scott (Hardie Grant, £28).
