Quince & cobnut crumble

Ingredients

For the filling

• 3 large quince
• 125g caster sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ stick of cinnamon
• 1 bramley apple

For the crumble

• 200g good butter
• 300g plain flour
• A good handful of rolled oats
• 150g light brown sugar
• 75g shelled, broken cobnuts

Method

Peel the quince and cut them into 8. Remove the core and put the wedges in an oven-ready dish that just fits them. Scatter over the caster sugar, bay leaves and cinnamon and 250ml water. Cover with tin foil and bake for 1 hour at 170C.

Meanwhile, make the topping. Rub the butter and flour together between your hands until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the oats, light brown sugar and cobnuts and mix well.

When the quince has had 1 hour, remove the tin foil (careful of the steam). Peel and grate the bramley apple and stir into the quince.

Sprinkle the crumble on the fruit and bake in a hot oven (190C) for about 20-25 mins until the top has browned, and the mixture cooked.

Allow to rest for 10 mins or so, as the sticky fruity juices are red hot and have a habit of burning the roof of your mouth (as I have found out all too often in my haste for a spoonful).

Eat with a big dollop of very thick cream or your favourite custard – or hey, why not both!