Elevate a simple fruit crumble by adding a sticky toffee sauce fragrant with star anise and cardamom. Lashings of cream are optional, but thoroughly recommended
Easy bake
The recipe
Serves 4-6 Hands-on time 20 min Oven time 40 min
MAKE AHEAD
Make the toffee sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep in an airtight container in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost if necessary and warm through in a pan on the hob over a medium heat before serving.
The crumble mixture can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge in a bag or airtight container, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost (if frozen) and top the crumble just before baking as instructed in the recipe.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
EASY SWAPS
Change the sauce spices/flavourings to whatever combination takes your fancy – cinnamon, sichuan peppercorns (go easy on these as they’re strong), citrus zest or even a few chilli flakes are all a good foil for the intense, treacly sweetness. • 600g firm, ripe eating apples (we like cox or braeburn) or conference pears – or a mix of the two
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• Juice ½ lemon
For the crumble
• 100g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
• 40g caster sugar
• 75g demerara sugar
• 125g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
For the toffee sauce
• 225g light muscovado sugar
• 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp salt
• 275ml double cream, plus extra to serve
• 1 tbsp black treacle
1 Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6. In a large bowl, rub the bu
