Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 190ºC, gas mark 5. Scatter the plum quarters in a 1-litre shallow ovenproof dish and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the lemon juice and 125ml cold water.

   
   

2. 2

   Place the flour in a food processor and add the butter. Blend until the butter is incorporated into the flour and the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the remaining sugar and the oats and pulse briefly until the mixture begins to cling together.

   
   

3. 3

   Tip the crumble over the plums, spreading it almost to the edges of the dish (it looks more appetising if the plums are just showing around the edges). Bake for about 45 minutes until the crumble is pale golden brown. Serve with Cornish clotted cream or Waitrose Fresh Vanilla Custard.

   
   

4. 4

   To make ahead, put the plums, sugar, lemon juice and water in the dish up to 2 hours ahead and cover. Make the crumble mixture, cover and chill but keep separately. Scatter over the plums just before baking. The crumble layer can also be made by hand. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until it look likes chunky breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar and oats.

   
   

Ingredients Buy ingredients

• 175g Plain Flour
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 175g Demerara Sugar
• 1 kg Plum Punnet, stoned and quartered
• 150g Slightly Salted Butter, cut into pieces
• 50g Scottish Porridge Oats

Serves 6

Total time required 1 hr 30 mins

• Preparation time: 45 mins
• Cooking time: 45 mins