Rhubarb Apple Ginger Crumble

The blessing of living in a tropical place is that every fruit or vegetable that is not tropical will be imported from SOME PLACE year round.  So we get rhubarb here in Malaysia at least twice a year when the north and south hemispheres enjoy spring and early summer.  And apples are available all the time, because even though they are an autumn fruit, they travel well and stay fresh for ages, if handled properly.  One of my dear husband's favorite things is a rhubarb apple crumble, so I am delighted to be able to make it for him today.

Ingredients

1 large green apple

300g or 10.5oz rhubarb

1/2 cup or 110g sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cornstarch or corn flour

3 ounces or 90g or 7 gingersnaps

30g or 2 overfilled tablespoons of softened butter plus extra for buttering dish

1/2 cup or 45g quick cook oats

To serve: pouring cream is a must at our house.  But feel free to substitute vanilla ice cream if you prefer. 

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Cut the dried ends off the rhubarb and then cut it into half inch pieces.  Peel the apple and cut it into small, rhubarb-sized pieces.

Sprinkle on the sugar and the vanilla extract and add the cornstarch.

Toss the bowl until the rhubarb and apple are well coated.

Butter the baking dish and pour in the apple/rhubarb mix.

Break the ginger snaps into crumbs with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer.

Use the flat side or you will break your bag. 

Add the soften butter and mix well.

Add the oatmeal and mix until it is a lovely homogenous crumble.

Pile the crumble on top of the rhubarb and apple mixture.

Bake for 45 minutes, covering with foil halfway through if it looks like it is browning too quickly on top before the filling starts bubbling through the topping.

You can see the fruit, just bubbling up in the front. 

Serve a good spoon of hot rhubarb apple crumble with a generous helping of pouring cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if you prefer.  

Enjoy!