Apricot and almond crumble

‘Have you ever split open an apricot stone and eaten the little almond-like kernel inside?’ asks Rachel Allen. ‘I did when I was really young and I still remember its bitter but very almondy flavour. This is why apricot kernels feature in many almond-flavoured delicacies, such as amaretto and amaretti biscuits. Anything made with apricots goes with almonds – and vice versa. This crumble is a lovely take on an age-old pairing of ingredients.’

SERVES 6

Ingredients:

10 ripe apricots (650g in weight, with stones)

75g caster sugar

For the crumble:

150g plain flour

100g caster sugar

75g butter, cubed

50g whole almonds with their skins on, roughly chopped

You will need:

1 litre capacity pie dish

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4.

2. Cut the apricots in half, then remove the stones and cut each half in half again. Place these apricot quarters in the pie dish and sprinkle with the caster sugar, then set aside while you make the crumble.

3. Place the flour and the sugar in a bowl and rub in the butter to resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the almonds, then scatter the crumble over the fruit to cover.

4. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the crumble is golden, bubbling and the fruit is deliciously tender.

5. Serve with softly whipped cream or ice cream.

Taken from All Things Sweet: 100 Deliciously Sweet Recipes For Every Occasion (Harper, £25) by Rachel Allen