Mixed Berry and Orange Crumble With Coconut Cream

Mixed Berry and Orange Crumble With Coconut Cream

It's that time of the year again, when it's a race between us and the cockatoos to get to these little organic sun kissed orange bombs first.  The cockatoos got most of them, but we got more than enough to hand over many bags to the neighbours and have enough for ourselves, and not to know what to do with them all. It's reminiscent of the time mum used to fill up my dolls pram with lemons.  They came from our lemon tree, which is now sadly a shadow of its former self, due to 45 years of borer attack and just plain old age.  Mum and I would walk around the neighbourhood handing them out to anyone who was interested and in those days, interested they were.  They are the same streets and by and large the same neighbours, but I did it this year with my daughter and plastic bags, which are sadly more readily available than in the 1970's. 

To think the orange tree had its inception in a pip dropped by either bird or human many moons ago.  Consequently, the orange tree that resulted at my mother's back door by pure luck, has given us so much over the years in good old fashion food production.

The oranges are not as sweet as shop bought ones, but I love them, because they are completely guilt free in terms of additives.  I can happily grate the rind into an array of dishes, as they have never had a thing on them except rain water and sunlight.  So no chemicals what so ever.

But what to make?  I have been adding oranges to all manner of dishes at the moment.  This one turned out to be Mixed Berry and Orange Crumble With Coconut Cream.  Berries are not really in season at the moment, so I used frozen berries, which I think are great and very reasonably priced.  I am also love love loving rolled oats right now.  It's amazing how my winter palate demands them.  I am addicted to porridge at the moment and I will bring you my breakfast recipe soon.  It is to die for and  that is saying something, as I have never regarded myself as much of a porridge eater.  It sure is helping me loose weight too, because it is so filling.

Look at all that superb lusciousness.

Mixed Berry and Orange Crumble With Coconut Cream

serves 6

700g or 4 cups frozen mixed berries

1/3 cup brown sugar

Juice of one orange.  

1/3 cup plain (all purpose flour)

60g or 3 tablespoons butter chopped

1/3 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup of pecans chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Rind of one orange finely grated.

Coconut cream to serve

Preheat oven to 180 C/350F

In a pan over a medium heat, place berries, orange juice and  1/3 cup sugar. Heat through to allow the sugar to melt and the fruit to defrost.

Decant into 6 x 1 cup ramekins, so they are 3/4 full of berries and juice. 

To make the crumble, combine the remaining ingredients except the coconut cream, in a bowl.  Using your fingers, rub the ingredients to form a mixture resembling bread crumbs.  Distribute the crumble mixture evenly amongst the ramekins.

Place on a baking tray and cook for 25 minutes, or until crumble mixture has lightly browned and the fruit is bubbling through.

I served the crumbles with coconut cream with a few berries whizzed through it, which actually was not necessary.  Coconut cream on it own would be just as good.

This is quite a healthy, nutritious and filling dessert.  I hope you'll try it and let me know how it goes.

One of my friends is now referring to me as 'The Orange Fairy', I guess it's better than being known as the green one......... ha ha.. 

For more of my simple recipes have a look here and here.

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