Ingredients

For the topping 

140g light muscovado sugar

120g spelt flour 

100g jumbo oats

50g desiccated coconut

50g pumpkin seeds

50g buckwheat groats

40g flaked almonds 

40g hazelnuts, blanched and skins removed

½ tsp ground cardamom 

Pinch of salt 

150g butter, melted 

For the filling 

700g mixed seasonal fruit (such as peaches and raspberries, cherries, plums, pears and blackberries, apples, rhubarb) 

50g golden caster sugar 

Knob of butter

Method 

For the topping 

This topping is comforting and buttery, as every crumble should be, but it’s also nourishing and  packed full of goodness in the form of oats, nuts and seeds. This is not your average crumble topping; it’s full of texture and is almost like a cross between a granola and a crumble. In fact, it works really well as a lovely topping for yoghurt and fruit in the morning.

The fantastic thing about this is that you can vary the ingredients throughout the year, according to what you’ve got in and what’s in season and at its best. You can also get ahead by making the crumble topping and keeping it in the fridge, or bake it and use it as and when. 

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and then pour over the melted butter. Mix thoroughly with a spoon until a crumble consistency forms. If you want to cook it separately to keep in a jar and use as a quick topping for poached fruits, yoghurt or ice cream, preheat the oven to 180°c fan. Spread the crumble mixture out in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Alternatively, keep the raw crumble mixture in a tupperware in the fridge until you plan on using it; it will keep for a few days. 

For the filling 

Prepare your chosen fruit; core and chop apples and pears, de-stone peaches, cherries and plums. Grease a pie dish with butter and fill it with your prepared fruit. Toss in the sugar and butter and mix everything well. Spoon over a tablespoon of water and cover with the crumble topping. Bake at 180°c fan for 20 to 30 minutes, until the topping is crisp and golden and the filling is bubbling up the sides. Serve with cream or ice cream, always.

Reflection

My mental health has suffered on occasion at the hands of stress, anxiety, grief and hormones. But I’ve been incredibly lucky that my problems have been relatively low key compared to some of my loved ones. I’ve always felt that one of the things I can do to help, other than listening and being there to support them, is to make delicious, wholesome food for them to eat. So often when we’re feeling low, this goes out the window as the impetus to look after yourself gets lost, but there couldn’t be a more crucial time to eat well.

Rosie Birkett (@rosiefoodie)