Thyme, Peach and Plum Crumble (and Amazing Custard)

Ingredients

Cooks in:10-15 minutes        Serves:4-6

For the Spiced Peaches and Plums

• 4 ripe peaches, peeled and halved
• 3 ripe plums, peeled and halved
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 1 vanilla pod, halved length ways (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
• ¼ cup honey or sugar
• 
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme

For the Crumble Topping

• 50g cold butter, cut into cubes
• 50g light brown sugar or 1 Tbsp honey, xylitol or alternative
• 50g almond flour (or all purpose)
• 50g rolled oats (or coconut flour for gluten free)
• 50g chopped pistachio or pecan nuts
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Chad's Amazing Custard

• 500ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 60g sugar

What to do

1. In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, poach the fruit in the apple juice, along with the cinnamon, star anise, vanilla and thyme, for 15-20 minutes or until soft and can be easily pierced with a knife.

2. Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 200C. Mix together the crumble ingredients until it has the consistency of rough bread crumbs.

3. Remove the fruit with a slotted spoon, reserving the syrup, and lay in a shallow oven-proof baking dish. Scatter over the crumble topping and bake on the lowest shelf of your oven at 200C for 5 minutes, then turn on the grill and bake for a further 5 minutes, or until your crumble topping is golden. Serve immediately with thick cream, custard or vanilla ice cream, and a drizzle of the reserved poaching liquid.



Notes: For a campfire friendly version, toast your crumble topping slowly in a pan over low-medium heat, and then sprinkle directly over the fruit just before serving.

Chad's Amazing Custard
Chad was one of our ridiculously amazing food team on the road with us when we were filming Food Safari. In so many different ways, Chad rocks (not least because of those zippy aviators and his too-cool hat that went EVERYWHERE with us and his ENDLESS SMILE). The night of the 'Figtree Dinner', he reached proper superhero status though, when at the end of a very long day filming, the most beautiful, silky, creamy custard arrived alongside our very rustic crumble. It was the last thing I'd been expecting in the middle of the bush. But boy was I glad to see it. If we hadn't been on camera we would have been licking our bowls and spoons (in fact, it's quite possible that my Dad did anyway). Thanks Chad for going to all the extra effort and for sharing the recipe with us.

1. Heat the milk and 3/4 of the sugar until sugar has dissolved.

2. Whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar together and add the cornflour.

3. Slowly combine the warmed milk with the egg mixture, stirring vigorously.

4. Place the pot back on the heat and keep stirring until the custard thickens.

5. Lastly mix in the vanilla extract and allow to cool.

Photo from 'Sarah Graham's Food Safari' by Ricardo de Leça.

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