It’s bucketing down here at the farm again, and there’s not much for me to do but sleep, cook or sit on the verandah sipping tea. We still have no power here after the big Australia Day Weekend Wet, but Ben has fired up the generator for a while and my biscuit tins are empty so I am on a mission. The workers are hungry, (they’re always hungry!) and this is an easy slice to make when you have electricity. In fact, with a bit of elbow grease I’ve made this with a wooden spoon, my bare hands and a camp oven over an open fire, but why bother when today I have a four hour window of oven-ready cooking time!
This is a very versatile slice. It can be made with any fruit you have to hand (I like apple, apricot and nectarine too), but I have a mammoth bucket of blueberries in the fridge from the local farmers markets last week, and we need to use everything up before it goes off. This slice eats well hot or cold. But keep it in an airtight tin in the fridge if you live in a warm climate. You can also make a double batch and freeze one for later. (Mind you I don’t think this batch will last that long…)
Note – this can also be made just as easily by substituting gluten-free flour, and I have done so many times.
Ingredients:
Base – 1 cup of sugar, 3 cups of plain flour (all-purpose for my American friends), 1 cup of cold butter cut into small cubes (250 grams, 8 ounces or 2 sticks), 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, zest of one lemon, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Hint – make sure the butter really is cold.
Fruit Filling – 4 cups of blueberries (or fruit of your choice), 1/2 cup of sugar, juice of one lemon, 1 heaped tablespoon of cornflour. I heaped teaspoon cinnamon, reserved.
Method: Place the cubed butter and sugar into the bowl of a food processor and whizz to combine. You don’t want to mix it to a cream, you want to just barely combine it. Then add in the flour and baking powder and whizz again. Dump in the egg, lemon zest and vanilla and process one more time. The mixture should be soft and crumbly. Divide in two portions. (If you don’t have a food processor, use a scone knife to cut the butter through the sugar and flour, or rub it together between your fingertips.)
Press one half of the dough into the bottom of a baking paper-lined 28cm x 18cm (9 inch by 13 inch) slice tin. Don’t worry if it looks a little dry.
Now mix your sugar, lemon juice and cornflour together, and then mix thoroughly through your blueberries. Tip these over the base and spread out evenly with a spoon.
Mix the cinnamon through the remaining dough and then crumble over the top of the fruit, making sure to get the mixture right to the edges. Bake in a moderate (160 degree celcius fan-forced or 180 degree oven – 350 degrees fahrenheit ) for 45 minutes until golden brown.
Cool in the tin.
If you cut your slice while it is still warm it will bleed a little, but that’s the price you pay for immediate gratification.
Okay, my baking is done, the tea is made, the sodden workers have returned and the generator is about to go off again. Thanks for all your kind thoughts and well wishes. I’ll catch up with all your messages once I have an uninterrupted power supply.
Sending much love to you all from my well-provisioned little farmhouse island,
Nicole ♥ xx
PS. A very unhappy Bert and Harry waiting for the rain to stop…
What if I want it eggless ? What is the substitute? Thanks
June, I’m sorry, I have no idea. Perhaps one of our readers can help. Or I guess you could try Google? Good luck!
Is there a substitute for corn flour?
You could use regular flour, tapioca flour, arrowroot, potato starch or rice flour! Enjoy x
I made this and it was delicious! Today I’m trying it with fresh peaches instead of blueberries, I hope its delicious too !
I will definitely have to try this one and soonn… 🙂 Thanks for sharing
just fantastic! just put it in the oven and looks amazing. had a bit of crumble/base leftover so I added a little bit of milk and turned them into lemon shortbreads
I spent the day beginning the heal-all chicken soup recipe and what was I to do with that whole lemon? 🙂 Found it! What a perfect compliment to round out a comfortable feast on a rainy day. Of course the chicken broth/soup will wait for tomorrow, but it’s cozy to spend all day on such nourishing wonderful activities as this. Thank you for the gift of a new recipe to learn 🙂
~Mia
Right, I mean two new recipes! They’ve made the house smell heavenly.
You did have a mammoth amount of blueberries! Looks amazing. Lucky you for being able to pack in the yummy fruit 🙂
For the ones who want to make this delicious blueberry crumble without sugar: you can add amasake or rice malt
Hi Nicole,today I worked from 9 to 19. I like to read your post, looks delicious
.I want to tell I have decided after 4 years I stop with my body awareness teacher. I want to exercise by myself and feel which exercies stay the best with me. It felt like a relief that I made this decision. He was a friend for me and it was difficult for me because I don’t refuse him as person.
So glad you are able to bake Nicole, I know how much better doing something comforting with your hands can be. Wonderful to hear you sounding better too. Prayers for your continued safety ( and Ben , Bert and Harry) lol. Rest well dear lady. Susan x
Lucky workers! I’m drooling over the juicy blueberries tucked into that crumble!
Poor Berty & Hazza, those faces are the very definition of “Hurrumph!!”,
Oh yum! I will definitely have to try these!
When is the cookbook coming out Nicole? Your recipes are amazing! 🙂
this looks super delicious. I’m going to see if I can adapt it to my gluten free, sugar free world. With treats like this your workers may all move in!
Lol…You can’t get a much bigger sign to stop and rest than to be flooded in and have the power turned off can you? No power for us until at least Friday. Enjoy the mini holiday. Big hugs Julia xxxxoooo
Thank you xxx. Sending love xx
My gosh, that looks delicious.
Hi Nicole,
You must be pleased the rain has stopped- You have reminded me of my Mum- there was always a jar of raspberry crumble slice in the cupboard from the homegrown raspberries. I wonder what it would taste like with no sugar- I have taken to baking with no sugar since eliminating it from my diet and find adding more fruit works- so adding organic raisins might work. love and blessings xxoo