Name: Colin’s apple and rhubarb crumble with ginger
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 6-8
Ingredients: 200g unsalted butter, chilled, chopped; 1 1/3 cups plain flour, sifted; 200g caster sugar; 100g rolled oats; 2 tsp ground nutmeg; 50g chia or pumpkin seeds; Ice-cream, to serve; Fruit filling; 2-3cm piece ginger, finely grated; 1/2 cup honey; 200g caster sugar; 375ml ginger beer; 2 bunches rhubarb, washed, trimmed and cut into chunks; 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks; Pinch of salt; Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Colin’s apple and rhubarb crumble with ginger

With a secret to make an extra crunchy crumble!

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Serves 6-8

Prep

30M

Cook

Total

1H 30M

Skip to Recipe

Growing up, crumbles were a staple dessert in the Fassnidge household, as they would have been for many Australian families.

Apple and rhubarb crumble is a great dessert to use seasonal fruits. Not one to stick with tradition completely, Colin is tweaking the recipe to include a few ingredients his mum would not approve of, but the result is one his mum would be proud of.

Ingredients

200g unsalted butter, chilled, chopped

1 1/3 cups plain flour, sifted

200g caster sugar

100g rolled oats

2 tsp ground nutmeg

50g chia or pumpkin seeds

Ice-cream, to serve

Fruit filling

2-3cm piece ginger, finely grated

1/2 cup honey

200g caster sugar

375ml ginger beer

2 bunches rhubarb, washed, trimmed and cut into chunks

5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

Pinch of salt

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. In a bowl, rub butter into flour using your fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar, oats, nutmeg and seeds.

Step 2

Line an oven tray with baking paper. Spread flour mixture onto tray. Bake for 20 minutes, or until top is golden. Set aside to cool slightly.

Step 3

Meanwhile, to make Filling, in a large saucepan, combine ginger, honey, sugar, ginger beer, rhubarb, apple and salt on high heat. Bring to boil, stirring. Cover, reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes until apple just softens. Add zest and juice.

Step 4

Pour fruit filling into a 1.75-litre baking dish. Sprinkle over crumble. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

Step 5

Serve with ice-cream.

apple and rhubarb crumble in circle white pie dish with red dripping down the edges

Why is my rhubarb crumble soggy?

It is soggy because you put your sugar on the fruit and left it too long before baking. As soon as fruit is mixed with sugar, it will start to release its juices, which can create a soggy or wet crumble. It is best to mix your fruit with sugar, place the crumble on top and cook immediately.

What fruit goes with rhubarb?

Most berries, including raspberries, blackberries and especially strawberries. For crumbles and other baked desserts, apples and pears go nicely with rhubarb as well.

Colin Fassnidge Chef

Colin brings his signature cheeky Irish flair to Better Homes and Gardens, joining the top-rating lifestyle program during its 30th anniversary year and becoming the latest ingredient in Australia’s favourite Friday night tradition.