Gooseberry And Elderflower Crumble -

Gooseberry And Elderflower Crumble

Ingredients

Butter for preparing the dish
900 g/2 Ib gooseberries
4 heads (umbels) of elderflowers
225 g/8 oz caster sugar
175 g/6 oz plain flour
A pinch of salt
85 g/3 oz unsalted butter, chilled and diced
25 g/1 oz hazelnuts (or cobnuts), chopped

Details

Serves: 5

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Butter a 1.2 litre/2 pint ovenproof shallow dish.


Top and tail the gooseberries and put them in the dish. Gently wash the elderflowers and shake dry, holding them upside down to remove any insects. Sprinkle 150 g/5 oz of the sugar over the gooseberries and tuck the elderflowers among the fruit.


Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the remaining sugar and the chopped nuts.


Beginning at the outer edges (which helps to prevent the juices from rising up the sides), spoon the topping evenly over the fruit. Firm the crumbs down with the back of the spoon and then mark lines with a fork to help make the top crisp.


Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is crisp and golden brown and the gooseberries tender. Serve hot or cold, with custard or crème fraiche.

Related food category:

• Dessert