A New England tradition and a beautiful way to use up any slightly-past-its-best fruit. Except bananas, but you can make banana bread with those. My fave versions is with apricots or peaches, but almost any fruit works. Feeds 2 with leftovers. Or possibly just seconds.
- Poached fruit
- 45g caster sugar
- 100g flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 40g butter, cold
- 80 ml milk
- 1 tbsp flaked almonds
- Flavour with orange zest, cinnamon, almond or vanilla extract – whatever works with the fruit you’ve chosen
- Pre-heat oven to 170C fan.
- Put fruit into an overproof dish
- Put the flour, baking powder, sugar and flavourings into a bowl
- Grate in the butter and rub in with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs
- Stir in the milk to make a soft dough
- Blob large spoonfuls (slumps!) of the mixture over the fruit and scatter with almonds.
- Put the dish onto an oven tray and bake for 30 mins until the topping is crisp and golden.
Sophie cooks 