Or “how to make a fantastic and cheap dessert for four out of things you didn’t know you had in your cupboard”. Makes bleeding loads.
- Six pears
- A handful of chopped pecan nuts
- 200g self-raising flour
- 50g butter, broken into small pieces
- Sugar to taste
- Hazelnut syrup (the magic ingredient!)
Peel the pears. Take off the tops and tails, and slice lengthways, discarding any pips you find. Place in a saucepan, adding enough water to cover the pears, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and add a dessertspoon or two of sugar, and a good glug of hazelnut syrup. The hazelnut syrup’s actually quite important. I use the type you can get which is meant to be added to coffee, except I think it’s disgusting that people adulterate their coffee in this way! I think it’s much better used in desserts, or on your morning porridge. But I digress…
Now to the crumble. Some people swear by beating the crap out of a packet of digestives and adding a load of melted butter. Personally, I think that’s enough to give anyone a heart attack, so I prefer to take some flour, and add the pieces of butter. Rub between fingertips until the flour absorbs the butter and the mixture resembles small breadcrumbs, as if you were making pastry. Add a tablespoon of sugar, as well as the pecan nuts, which are crucial to the recipe.
When the pears are soft, drain them and lay in a dish. Pour crumble mixture on top and cook until golden. Serve with cream.