Brace yourself for this. I may just have the simplest, quickest recipe for you which actually looks like you put in a whole load of effort (says the same person who layered lemon curd over fresh fruit and made it a dessert), so you know I’m onto something here.

This crumble can be used as a staple and adapts beautifully to any kind of fruit base. Apple is a classic which I adore also, but in this version, I’ve used fresh ripe nectarines. It tastes like summer in every bite.

A dollop of ice cream over warm crumble is classy, but straight out of the oven is most likely what you’d see me doing – jumping straight for the sticky caramelized bits that stick to the sides of the ramekin, and invariably burning my tongue every.single.time. It happens to the best of us (I kid myself).

INGREDIENTS: (Serves 4)

Loosely adapted from Jamie Oliver

For the crumble topping:

4 ripe nectarines, stoned and quartered

50 grams unsalted butter, straight out of the refrigerator

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup brown sugar

A pinch of salt

To sprinkle on the fruit :

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

METHOD:

Pre-heat oven to 190 C / 375 F. Place the quartered nectarines in a bowl and sprinkle with 2 tbsp brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Mix and set aside.

Tip the flour into a large bowl; cube the cold butter into small-ish pieces and using the tips of your fingers and thumb, rub the flour and butter together until they start to resemble fine breadcrumbs. Add the brown sugar and salt, and mix together gently to combine. This is your crumble topping.

Divide the fruit into 4 ramekins or a medium-sized baking dish and top with the crumble mixture. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until the caramel starts bubbling up on the sides, and the top is golden and crunchy. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice-cream, freshly whipped cream or just as is.

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