FIGment of delight

Pushpesh Pant

Apple pie and apple crumble are quintessential ‘home cooking classics’, best made by mom, especially in the Americans homes. Some fast food joints and even fine dining eateries nowadays include these items on their dessert menu. We have, since childhood, loved both classics. And as X-mas and New Year approach our thoughts turn to these sweet delights along with rich plum pudding. Imagine our delight when we encountered an exciting variation on this theme. A friend, who is justifiably proud of her baking skills, surprised us with anjeer crumble. To tell you the truth, she called it crumble even when uncut whole fruit was peeping out of the pastry — but who cares? Garnished with fresh figs it was sheer bliss.

We have tried to replicate her recipe with cut fruit and it works quite well. Drizzle some castor sugar on the pastry crust and dig in without a fig leaf of inhibition.

Recipe

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C/375 degrees F. Put the flour, butter and margarine in a mixer and process in short, sharp bursts till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Remove and place in a bowl. Stir in enough cold water to make dough and knead till smooth. Roll out into discs large enough to line an 8-inch, loose-bottomed flan/pastry dish. Chill for 30 minutes. Place the fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour and Cinnamon powder. Spoon out this mixture to fill the pastry shells and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Garnish with quartered fresh figs.