Blackberry and Pear Crumble

Continuing with the theme of using up seasonal fruit and veggies that I started with the recent  recipe for ratatouille and cannellini bean pasta, this recipe for blackberry and pear crumble uses up the seasonal freebies found in our hedgerows at this time of year.

While I am not a huge pudding fan, I do enjoy the taste and aroma of cooked blackberries and pears – it always reminds me of late summer/early autumn.

I’m not lucky enough to have my own pear tree, so had to buy those, but the blackberries were all free – except for an hour or two of foraging, which appealed to my hunter-gatherer instinct 🙂

The blackberries and pears have their own natural fruit sugars of course, but the addition of the honey seems to draw out the flavour of the pears. The ground cinnamon adds another layer of flavour.

Rather than the usual flour/sugar/butter crumble topping, I have used crushed walnuts and oats along with spelt flour. This adds texture and slow release carbs. The walnuts are also an excellent source of omega 3 as well as a whole wealth of minerals, and vitamins E and B6

There is a small amount of brown sugar in the topping, but this adds a nice depth of flavour due to the molasses content.

Blackberries themselves contain a wealth of nutrients . They are a great source of vitamin C and fibre. They are also high in anthocyanins, manganese and vitamin K. So you can enjoy that bowl of crumble free from guilt – especially if you have been for a run 😉

Pears too are rich in vitamins C and K as well as fibre. They are also a source of potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, folate, vitamin B6 and riboflavin

Apart from adding a wonderful flavour, the honey also offers the additional benefits of having a lower GI than refined sugar and also contains magnesium, potassium and amino acids.

So, get foraging while you can and enjoy making and eating this blackberry and pear crumble. It’s great served up with a dollop of Greek yoghurt as in the photo.

As always, let me know if you make this blackberry and pear crumble and what you think of it in the comments below.

5 from 1 vote

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Blackberry and pear crumble

A delicious and nutritious late summer seasonal treat. Perfect after a long run!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Tasty

Keyword blackberry and pear crumble

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 591 kcal

Ingredients

For the filling

• 500 g blackberries
• 500 g pears
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp honey

For the topping

• 75 g spelt flour or wholewheat flour
• 75 g rolled oats
• 75 g walnuts
• 50 g soft brown sugar
• 75 g olive oil spread

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/ 180C/ Gas Mark 4.

2. Wash the blackberries, checking for any stalks or foreign objects. Rinse and drain.

3. Peel and quarter the pears, remove the cores and cut into small chunks 2-3 inches long.

4. Place the blackberries into a baking dish. Mix in the honey and cinnamon, then nestle the pears in amongst the blackberries.

   

5. Put the walnuts into a mortar and pound so that it is fairly small – but keep some texture! Alternatively, place in a plastic food bag and hammer with a rolling pin.

6. Place the walnuts in a mixing bowl along with the flour, oats and sugar. Mix well.

7. Add the olive oil spread go the bowl and rub it in to the dry ingredients.

8. Spread the topping over the fruit mixture, spreading it to the edges.

9. Bake in the middle of the oven for around 30-40 minutes, until fruit is soft and topping is browned.

10. Serve with Greek yoghurt, cream or custard. 

Recipe Notes

The crumble is also good cold – if there are any leftovers!