Crumble and fall

Lyrics from many a song but what I really mean is crumble in the Fall. Frankly I could eat that satisfying stodgy pud at any time of the year but autumn's fruits lend themselves particularly well to a marriage with flour, butter and sugar rubbed together into small pieces and baked in the oven.

My favourites are the late summer plums stewed with a drop of orange juice and zest. Bramley apple crumble is always a favourite, especially with my husband who is a bit of a plain Jane when it comes to fruit. I prefer to pair my apples (excuse the pun) with blackberries and a smidge of vanilla.

Accompaniments can be swathes of hot custard; ice cream sliding into a melting puddle; cool fresh cream or, one of my guilty pleasures, Carnation tinned cream!

I shall be preserving some of autumn's harvest to eat throughout the colder months. When they run out there's always Spring/Summer and rhubarb crumble to look forward to.