West Berkshire Lifestyle Nov - Dec 2021

And time for pudding...
More tasty recipes from Amanda Owen
Rhubarb & Custard Crumble Cake
Prep time 15 minutes
Cooking time 40 minutes
Serves 4-6
Rhubarb
250g Yorkshire rhubarb, cut into 2cm
chunks
50g caster sugar
Crumble
50g plain flour
25g butter, cut into cubes
40g chopped mixed nuts
25g demerara sugar
Cake
170g butter, softened, plus extra for
greasing
85g caster sugar
85g soft brown sugar
3 medium eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
170g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
30g custard powder
Icing sugar to dust
Custard to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas
Grease and line a 21cm round spring-form
cake tin.
Put the rhubarb into a saucepan and
sprinkle over the caster sugar. Heat very
gently until the sugar dissolves into a syrup.
Simmer for 6–8 minutes until the rhubarb
just begins to soften. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile make the crumble. Place the
flour into a mixing bowl and rub in the
butter with your fingertips until it resembles
breadcrumbs, then stir in the chopped nuts
and sugar.
Next make the cake. Beat the butter, caster
sugar and soft brown sugar in a bowl using
an electric mixer for 2–3 minutes, until light
and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract
with 2 tablespoons of the flour, beat for
a minute until combined, then fold in the
remaining flour, baking powder and custard
powder.
Drain any excess juices from the rhubarb
and discard the syrup, then gently fold the
cooled rhubarb through the cake mixture.
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared tin
and gently smooth the top with a spatula.
Sprinkle the crumble over the cake and
press down lightly with the back of a spoon,
then bake on the middle shelf of the oven
for 40 minutes, until the cake is golden, firm
to touch, and when a skewer is inserted it
comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the
cake tin, then transfer to a plate.
Dust lightly with icing sugar before serving
warm with custard.
Tip
Also delicious served with ice cream or
single cream.
Hedgerow Nutty Crumble
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 40 minutes
Serves 4
Fruit filling
40g butter
40g golden caster sugar
2 Braeburn apples, peeled and sliced
200g Bramley apples, peeled and sliced
300g foraged berries or any mixed berries,
such as blackberries and wild raspberries
Crumble topping
125g plain flour
85g unsalted butter, diced
85g demerara sugar
50g rolled oats
30g chopped toasted hazelnuts
Custard or ice cream to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.
For the fruit filling, melt the butter in a
pan, add the sugar and apples and gently
simmer for 5 minutes. Add the berries and
simmer for 2 minutes, then transfer to a
23cm round oven-proof dish.
Meanwhile prepare the crumble topping.
Put the flour into a mixing bowl and rub
in the butter with your fingertips, until the
mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir
in the sugar, oats and hazelnuts.
Sprinkle the crumble topping over the
fruit, then place the dish on the middle
shelf of the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes,
until the crumb is golden and fruit
bubbling.
Allow to cool slightly before serving with
custard or ice cream.
Tip
Try using other seasonal fruits such as
damsons or gooseberries.
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