Apple & Pear Crumble

Preheat a fan oven to 350°F (350°F).

Peel, core, and cut the apple and pears into roughly 2 cm cubes. Place them in a bowl, add the 115 g caster sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and toss to coat evenly.

Transfer about one‑third of the fruit mixture to a saucepan; keep the remaining fruit in the bowl for later.

Cook the fruit in the saucepan over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

While the fruit cooks, prepare the crumble topping: combine 150 g plain flour, 40 g caster sugar, and 90 g oats in a mixing bowl. Add the cubed cold butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the roughly chopped pecans.

Spread the crumble mixture onto a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Using a fork, mash the cooked fruit in the saucepan to break it up, then allow it to cool. Once cooled, mix it with the uncooked fruit that was set aside, and transfer the combined fruit to a baking dish.

Evenly sprinkle the cooled crumble topping over the fruit layer. Place the dish on a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping is crisp and the fruit is bubbling.

Remove from the oven and let the crumble stand for a few minutes before serving. Serve warm in bowls, optionally accompanied by homemade chai‑spiced custard.