The key to this dish is to saute the plums gently in butter to render their skins soft and tangy. I then add port, anise, vanilla and a cinnamon stick and allow to infuse. For the actuall crumble topping i use some ground almonds to make it melt in the mouth and some ginger to give a little kick and cut through the richness.
Ingredients
Filling
150g blackberries
200g plums - halfed with the seed removed
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tbsp dark muscavado sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 star anise
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/2 glass of port
1 tbsp butter
Crumble
50g Dark Muscavdo sugar
100g cubed butter
180g plain flour
20g ground almonds
1 tsp ground ginger
Directions
*1*
Heat the butter until foaming and then add the plum halfs skin down. Saute for 5 mins before adding the other ingredients (except the blackberries). Once the port is in simmer for 5-8 mins depending how ripe the plums are. Taste the syrup and add more sugar if needed ( i like it not too sweet).
*2*
To make the crumble add all the ingredients to a bowl and rub the butter in until it resembles a breadcrumb consistency. Refrigerate for 15 mins.
*3*
Toss the blackberries with a little lemon juice, sugar and corn flour (to stop the crumble being too liquidy). Now remove the cinnamon stick and star anise from the plums and mix in the blackberries. Pour into a glass baking dish and top with the crumble. If there is a lot of syrup left you can reserve half of it to serve with the crumble.
*4*
Bake for 25 - 30 mins at 175 degrees centigrade.
