Nutty apple crumble - Recommended Recipe!

Nutty apple crumble - serves 6, preparation 15 minutes, cooking 35 minutes

Ingredients
For the crumble topping (step 1 & 2)
160g plain flour
115g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
2 tsp ground cinnamon
50g hazelnuts, roughly chopped and toasted
4 tbsp light soft brown sugar
For the apple base (step 3)
1kg cooking or eating apples (about 3-4 cooking apples or 7 eating apples)
Juice of 1 orange (about 80ml)
2 tbsp light soft brown sugar
1 tbsp plain flour

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5.  Put the flour into a bowl, add the butter and rub together to make fine breadcrumbs.
2. Add the cinnamon, hazelnuts and sugar and mix together.
3.  Peel, core and slice the apples and put into an ovenproof dish with the orange juice, sugar and flour and mix together.
4. Spinkle the crumble over the top and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the fruit is cooked and the topping is golden.

Per serving - 430 kcal, 21.6g fat, 10.4g saturated fat, 32.5g sugar, trace salt.

Source - The Co-operative instore magazine.

Carrot Cake Disaster!

I love carrot cake (without raisins/sultanas!) and when my youngest decided that we needed to use up some carrots using the "whizzy machine" - read food processor! - I looked for a quick and easy recipe on the Internet.  I usually make carrot cake baked in a loaf tin and top with sweet cream cheese or similar but I came across a different method cooked in the microwave for a really quick and easy carrot cake.  From ingredients to cake in 10 minutes flat, yes please!

The recipe is here as found on the BBC Food website - now, I am not criticising the recipe or website in any way as I often use BBC Food for recipes ideas and inspiration... but let me tell you, my "cake" was nothing to boast about!  I knew it would never be a "pretty" cake for decorating and I knew it would be similar to a steamed sponge because of how it was cooked but I'll let you judge for yourselves....

The transferring from deep microwave dish to serving plate was my stumbling block I think(!), on the plus side, it tasted lovely and when partially hidden/covered with custard... job well done!  So it just shows you, following a recipe to the dot can still result in unexpected results!  I blame my microwave... well, I have to blame something!  Back to the longer but more reliable method of ovens and loaf tins for me!

Following this unsuccessful "bake", we went on to make apple pie as well and I'm pleased to say this looked much more appetising and went down a treat.  I still have some carrots and apples left so it will be apple crumble and "proper" carrot cake on tomorrow's schedule!

Now it's your turn to own up, have you had any kitchen disasters you'd like to share with us?  You can remain anonymous....!