064 / 75 · Something Sweet for a Break
Plum and Ginger Crumble Pots
4 individual crumble pots · Active 20 min · Total 55 min
Print recipe · PDFPlums and fresh ginger make a sharp, fragrant filling beneath a small oat crumble. Individual pots are easy to portion, though they need to cool before being packed. Keep the plum pieces fairly large so some fruit remains recognizable after baking. The crumble is rubbed together lightly; squeezing it into a solid cap stops steam escaping and gives a denser topping.
Fruit juice needs room
Set the ramekins on a rimmed tray because ripe plums can bubble over. Cornstarch thickens the juice modestly, but the filling should still be spoonable rather than set like jam. Ginger is grated finely so it spreads through the fruit. The plum skins provide much of the color and can stay on if washed well.
Keep the topping loose
Rub cold butter into flour, oats and sugar until there are both small crumbs and a few larger clumps. Scatter it over the fruit without pressing down. Bake until the topping is golden and fruit juice bubbles near the edges; a pale floury surface needs more time. Let the pots stand before eating because the filling will be much hotter than the outside suggests.
Ingredients
- 1 lb plums, pitted and cut into wedges (450 g prepared)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon sugar (12 g)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (3 g)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60 g)
- 1/3 cup rolled oats (30 g)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (38 g)
- 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, diced (55 g)
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
Set out
Conventional oven, Four oven-safe 8-oz/240-ml ramekins, Rimmed tray, Mixing bowl
Allergens
Wheat, Oats, Milk. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Heat oven to 375°F/190°C. Put the ramekins on the rimmed tray.
- Toss plums with ginger, sugar and cornstarch. Divide between ramekins.
- Rub flour, oats, brown sugar, butter and salt together in the bowl until crumbly. Scatter loosely over fruit.
- Bake for 22–28 minutes until golden and the fruit bubbles at the edges. Rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, or cool promptly for refrigeration.
Choose the container for the journey
A heavy ramekin is fine at home but may be awkward to carry. Once cold, transfer a portion to a small rigid lunch container if that fits the break routine better. Keep the fruit and crumble together; neat layers are less important than a reliable lid.
A useful detail
Very tart plums may need a little more sugar, but taste a raw piece first rather than automatically doubling the amount.
Another way
- Use pitted cherries in place of plums.
- Replace fresh ginger with 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger mixed into the topping.
Keep it well
Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Carry cold with cold sources. Reheat to 165°F/74°C if serving warm, using an appropriate oven-safe or microwave-safe container.