Winter Crumble with Pears

Ingredients

• Ripe pears (e.g., Conference or Comice), peeled, cored and sliced 600g
• Caster sugar 50g
• Ground cinnamon 1 tsp
• Ground cardamom 1/2 tsp
• Ground cloves pinch
• Lemon juice 1 tbsp
• For the crumble topping:
• Plain flour 150g
• Cold unsalted butter, cubed 75g
• Chopped almonds or pistachios 50g
• Light brown sugar 50g
• Rolled oats (optional, for extra texture) 25g

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan/Gas Mark 5).
2. In a large bowl, combine the sliced pears, 50g caster sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and lemon juice. Toss gently to coat the pears evenly.
3. Spoon the pear mixture into a medium ovenproof dish (approximately 20x20cm).
4. To make the crumble topping, place the plain flour in a bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter and rub it into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
5. Stir in the chopped nuts, 50g light brown sugar, and rolled oats (if using) into the flour and butter mixture.
6. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the pear mixture in the dish.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is tender and bubbling around the edges.
8. Allow the crumble to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.