Ingredients
Serves 5-6
Prep/ Cook Time: Approx 2 hours
For the Crumble Topping:
- 150g plain flour
- 35g ground almonds
- 70g caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 120g fridge-cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 50g jumbo oats
For the custard:
- 40g flaked almonds, toasted
- 380ml whole milk
- 190ml double cream
- 1/2 in piece of fresh ginger, peeled
- 6 large egg yolks
- 120g caster sugar
For the rhubarb & apple mix:
- 3 bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
- 4 rhubarb stems, trimmed and cut into 1 inch lengths
- 1 orange –zest and juice
- 220g Demerara sugar
Method
- Put the toasted almonds, milk, cream and ginger in a medium pan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until steaming but not quite simmering.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar to combine in a bowl, then slowly whisk in a third of the hot milk. Repeat until all the milk is incorporated and the custard is smooth. Pass through a sieve into a clean pot.
- Remove the ginger and keep the almonds in a separate bowl as we will use these in the crumble topping later.
- Return the pot to a medium heat and cook the custard gently, stirring continuously, for seven minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon. You made need to strain it again.
- For the crumble topping, mix the flour, ground almonds, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour mixture until everything looks like breadcrumbs; work quickly so the butter doesn't melt.
- Mix in the oats and strained almonds from the custard, then squeeze together small bits of the mix to make clumps of the topping.
- Heat the oven to 180oC. Put the apples, rhubarb, orange zest and juice, and sugar in a baking dish, then toss and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
- Cover evenly with the crumble topping, bake for 40 minutes, until golden and bubbling, then remove and leave to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve with the custard or some ice cream if you prefer.
