This is my mother in law Judy’s crumble that I adapted slightly to make it my own. Judy freezes crumble topping for an ever quicker go-to dessert. You could double the topping you need, using half now and half another day. The thing that I love most about this recipe is the un-peeled grated apple – genius! It’s so fast to prepare and the grated apple ensures that the apple will be cooked all the way through. Serve with all the works on the side. Crème anglaise, runny cream, and vanilla ice cream. Got to have ice cream – that hot pudding cold creamy ice cream combo is a winner. 
 
Serves 6 
 
For the crumble 
¾ cup rolled oats 
¾ cup fair trade unrefined sugar 
½ cup flour 
½ cup organic coconut chips (or desiccated coconut) 
1 teaspoon fair trade cinnamon 
½ teaspoon mixed spice 
100g (3.5oz) butter, soft but not melted 
6 apples (I used 4 Granny Smith and 2 Braeburn) 

For the (optional) creme Anglaise 
2 cups of milk 

4 free-range egg yolks 
1/3 cup fair trade unrefined sugar 
2 teaspoons cornflour 
1 teaspoon vanilla paste  

To serve
Good quality ice cream (I like Lewis Road Creamery double caramel) 
Runny cream 
 

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) 

Mix the dry ingredients, the oats, sugar, flour, coconut, cinnamon and mixed spice together in a bowl. Rub in the butter well with your fingertips so that you have a nice crumb.  Grate the apples, washed and unpeeled and put into an ovenproof dish discarding the core and seeds. Cover with the crumble and bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden.

 

While the crumble is cooking, make the creme Anglaise. Heat the milk in a pot over medium-high heat until hot but not boiling. While that is coming up to heat, whisk the eggs, sugar, cornflour, and vanilla in a bowl. Add 1/3 of the hot milk to the yolk mixture, to begin with, whisking well, and then add the rest of the milk while continuously whisking.  

 

Pour the custard mixture back into the pot that you warmed the milk in and cook over medium heat, stirring until it thickens. You want to cook it until it’s just thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Dip a spoon into the custard and run your finger through the middle to make a line, if it holds its shape and the sides don’t run to the centre, it’s ready.  If you overcook it, it could curdle, go lumpy or have an 'eggy' flavour. The creme Anglaise will thicken more when it cools. Pour immediately into a jug (or a milk bottle) to stop it from cooking further. 

Serve the crumble with creme Anglaise, ice cream and or runny cream.