Sloe, Apple and Juniper Crumble
I devised this crumble recipe initially as a way of using up sloes left over from sloe gin making. It's become one of my all-time favourite crumble recipes. The first time I made it, my mum remarked, 'I wasn't expecting to like this so much', as she uncharacteristically helped herself to a second portion. The juniper and cinnamon complement the sloes and apples, without overpowering them. These aromatic flavours, together with the hint of gin, add a subtle depth which raises this from a classic crumble recipe to something that feels really quite special.
The reason it's filed under 'January' is because I freeze the sloes after I've bottled up the gin for Christmas presents, dealing with the berries themselves after the busy period of Christmas. It's also a comfort to start the year with a hearty Sunday roast followed by a bowl of crumble and custard, after a long frosty walk. However, you could equally bake this crumble in October or November, when sloes are ripe for picking (they're ready when you can feel a slight softness under the skin). Use them ether straight from the bush (for a non-alcoholic version) or after an overnight soak in a tablespoon of gin. Freeze the sloes during harvest season and you'll have a ready supply throughout the year.
Given the flavour profile, I'm surprised there's not more recipes for baking with sloes. I've seen plenty of recipes for hedgerow jellies which include sloes, but they don't tend to be used in many bakes. This is partly because of the perceived faff: foraging and then pitting the sloes. I personally don't see foraging as a chore (more like a country treasure hunt!), but I do understand the hassle of removing the small stones from an already small fruit. I like to find simpler ways of doing menial tasks in the kitchen so, here, I've suggested cooking the sloes first and then removing the stones - far, far simpler. Put the radio on and it's positively enjoyable!
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
1. Peel and core the Bramley apples and chop them into small pieces. Cook them in a saucepan over a medium heat in about 1 inch of water (just enough to stop the apples catching and burning). Cook them until they've broken down into a puree (stir regularly and keep checking on them so they don't burn; add a little more water if needed). Put to one side.
2. Wash the sloes and cook them in a saucepan over a medium heat in about half an inch of water. Cook them until most of the water has evaporated, the skins have begun to split, and you can squash the stone out when applying a little bit of force with a wooden spoon. Leave to cool slightly, until they reach a temperature comfortable enough to handle. Remove the stones by pressing each berry; this should force the stone out. If you come across any hard berries, simply discard them. Double check that you've removed all stones.
3. Mix the sloes with the apple puree and the golden syrup, and then pour into the ovenproof dish. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan) or 200°C (non fan).
I devised this crumble recipe initially as a way of using up sloes left over from sloe gin making. It's become one of my all-time favourite crumble recipes. The first time I made it, my mum remarked, 'I wasn't expecting to like this so much', as she uncharacteristically helped herself to a second portion. The juniper and cinnamon complement the sloes and apples, without overpowering them. These aromatic flavours, together with the hint of gin, add a subtle depth which raises this from a classic crumble recipe to something that feels really quite special.
The reason it's filed under 'January' is because I freeze the sloes after I've bottled up the gin for Christmas presents, dealing with the berries themselves after the busy period of Christmas. It's also a comfort to start the year with a hearty Sunday roast followed by a bowl of crumble and custard, after a long frosty walk. However, you could equally bake this crumble in October or November, when sloes are ripe for picking (they're ready when you can feel a slight softness under the skin). Use them ether straight from the bush (for a non-alcoholic version) or after an overnight soak in a tablespoon of gin. Freeze the sloes during harvest season and you'll have a ready supply throughout the year.
Given the flavour profile, I'm surprised there's not more recipes for baking with sloes. I've seen plenty of recipes for hedgerow jellies which include sloes, but they don't tend to be used in many bakes. This is partly because of the perceived faff: foraging and then pitting the sloes. I personally don't see foraging as a chore (more like a country treasure hunt!), but I do understand the hassle of removing the small stones from an already small fruit. I like to find simpler ways of doing menial tasks in the kitchen so, here, I've suggested cooking the sloes first and then removing the stones - far, far simpler. Put the radio on and it's positively enjoyable!
Ingredients
- 3-4 Bramley apples (about 600g)
- 200g sloes (pre-pitted weight)
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- 150g plain flour
- 75g caster sugar
- 75g unsalted butter
- 3 juniper berries, ground
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Demerara sugar (optional, for topping)
Equipment
- 1 x deep ovenproof dish (mine is 15cm x 9cm depth)
Method
1. Peel and core the Bramley apples and chop them into small pieces. Cook them in a saucepan over a medium heat in about 1 inch of water (just enough to stop the apples catching and burning). Cook them until they've broken down into a puree (stir regularly and keep checking on them so they don't burn; add a little more water if needed). Put to one side.
2. Wash the sloes and cook them in a saucepan over a medium heat in about half an inch of water. Cook them until most of the water has evaporated, the skins have begun to split, and you can squash the stone out when applying a little bit of force with a wooden spoon. Leave to cool slightly, until they reach a temperature comfortable enough to handle. Remove the stones by pressing each berry; this should force the stone out. If you come across any hard berries, simply discard them. Double check that you've removed all stones.
3. Mix the sloes with the apple puree and the golden syrup, and then pour into the ovenproof dish. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan) or 200°C (non fan).
4. To make the crumble topping, rub together the flour, sugar and butter until they resemble fine breadcrumbs (use a food processor if you have one). Add the ground juniper berries and cinnamon, and mix well. Pour over the top of the fruit and sprinkle with Demerara sugar (optional).
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 180°C (fan) or 200°C (non fan), until lightly browned. Serve warm with custard.