Charlotte Pike

Food & Drink Expert

Charlotte Pike

Apple and Blackberry Oat Crumble

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This is one of my most-requested recipes. It works well with many other fruits – just use a similar weight of prepared fruit when assembling the crumble to achieve a nice balance of fruit and topping.

I particularly like the filling made from either apples, apples with some sort of berry (blackberry, raspberry or elderberry are especially good) and plums. Flavour-wise, it at its very best when eaten warm, so the fruit isn’t too molten, and the topping is buttery and crisp. I sincerely hope you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as my family and I do.

 

Apple and Blackberry Oat Crumble

 

Serves 6

 

Ingredients

For the filling

900g cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 2cm cubes

50g caster sugar

100g blackberries

For the topping

100g plain flour

100g chilled butter

50g light brown soft sugar

50g rolled oats

 

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ Gas Mark 4

Place the apples, sugar and blackberries in a baking dish and stir together to combine.

In a mixing bowl, add the flour and butter and rub together until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Stir in the sugar and oats and then sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit in the baking dish

Bake for 30-40 minutes until the crumble topping is golden brown and the fruit is tender and bubbling. Serve hot, warm or cold with cream, custard or ice cream.

Za’atar Spiced Squash and Chickpea Traybake with Garlic, Tahini and Mint

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Za’atar Spiced Squash and Chickpea Traybake with Garlic, Tahini and Mint

This is such an easy and flavoursome supper dish. I like to make it with Crown Prince squash, which has a wonderfully creamy and nutty flavour and is so much less sweet than other varieties.

Serves 4

Ingredients

One medium size squash, washed, deseeded and cut into 1-2cm wedges

3 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

2 tbsp za’atar

2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, drained

1 lemon

75g tahini

3 cloves of garlic, peeled

100ml cold water

20g fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

2 tsp sumac, ground

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Put the squash and onion wedges onto a baking tray or two, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and za’atar and put in the oven to roast for 20 minutes.

After 10 minutes in the oven, remove from the oven and add the chickpeas. Turn the vegetables if needed. Return to the oven for 15-20 minutes to bake the chickpeas.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Blend the lemon juice, tahini, garlic and water together using a small blender. Taste and season with salt if you need to. Set aside.

When the timer goes off for the vegetables, check the chickpeas are lightly firm and crisp and the squash is tender. Pour or drizzle the dressing over the veg. Serve on plates, topped with mint and sumac. A dollop of yoghurt, extra olive oil and za’atar can be nice accompaniments. A flatbread on the side to mop up the juices is a lovely addition.

Summer Almond Cake

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This is one of my favourite cakes to make at this time of year. The almond flavour is subtle, and pairs sublimely with all the wonderful currants and berries, either fresh, or poached, that we enjoy throughout the summer. Softly whipped cream or crème fraîche make the perfect accompaniment. Gluten free flour and baking powder can be used, if needed.

Summer Almond Cake

Serves 8

Ingredients

125g caster sugar

125g soft butter

3 medium eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g ground almonds

30g self raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

40g flaked almonds

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4. Line an 8 inch/20cm round springform cake tin with non-stick baking paper.

Put the sugar and butter together into a mixing bowl or stand mixer and beat together until evenly creamed together. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat in, again, until evenly mixed. Now, sift in the flour and baking powder. Fold into the mix, and when the batter looks smooth and evenly combined, scrape it all into the prepared tin and level off so that the cake will look neat. Sprinkle the flaked almonds evenly over the top of the cake. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Serve warm or cold, perhaps dusted with icing sugar. The cake will keep for up to 5 days, stored in an airtight container in a cool place.