Easy Peach and Apricot Crumble (with Polenta)

Apricot and Peach Crumble is a popular dessert made with a flour and butter-based topping and soft fruit filling. It’s sweet and comforting and can be served with cream, ice cream, or custard.

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There are many delicious crumble variations; blackberry and apple crumble is a classic, and strawberry and rhubarb go very well together. But most crumble recipes use summer fruits that are harder to get hold of in the winter.

One of my favourite things about this peach and apricot crumble is that you can enjoy it all year round. You can make it with fresh fruits when they’re in season, but it’s also lovely with canned peaches and apricots in winter.

Notes on The Apricot Peach Crumble Ingredients

• Polenta: In this crumble recipe, I’ve added a few tablespoons of polenta (corn meal). It’s optional but helps to avoid the crumble becoming too wet if a lot of juice is released from the fruit. It mixes with the juices, thickening them slightly, so you don’t really notice it when the dish is baked, but it helps to make a sauce.

Recipe tips

Here are some of my notes on how to make the tastiest apricot and peach crumble.

• Peaches and apricots have very soft skins so there’s no need to peel them. They also cook quickly, so they don’t need to be pre-cooked.
• If you don’t have fresh fruit, you can use frozen or well-drained canned peaches and apricots.
• Crumble topping is traditionally made with plain (all-purpose) flour, but I like to use self-raising flour for this dessert as it gives the topping a lighter texture that really complements the delicate peaches and apricots. However, you can use plain flour or substitute it with wholemeal or spelt if you prefer.

Crumble Recipe variations

• I like a hint of cinnamon with the fruit but feel free to leave it out, or add your favourite spices, e.g. nutmeg or ginger would also work well with peaches and apricots.
• For a variation you can substitute the peaches or apricots for other soft fruits, e.g. strawberries and apricots make a lovely combination.
• If you like a crunchier topping, add a handful of rolled oats to the crumble topping along with the sugar, or sprinkle some flaked almonds over the top.
• There are no eggs in this recipe, it’s vegetarian.
• It’s very easy to make a vegan version of this recipe by substituting the dairy butter for a plant-based butter.

Equipment

• You’ll need an ovenproof baking dish to make this crumble recipe. Mine measures 20x30x5 cm.
• You can make the crumble topping in a large bowl, simply rubbing the butter and flour with your fingers. But if you have a food processor and would like to use it, put the butter and flour into the processor and pulse until it forms breadcrumbs, then pour it into a bowl to add the sugar.

Storing leftover Apricot and Peach Crumble

• Store any leftover crumble in a fridge for up to 3 days.
• The crumble is delicious cold but can also be reheated in a microwave for 1-2 minutes or in the oven for about 10 minutes at 180C.
• The fruit crumble can also be frozen, before or after baking, for up to 3 months. Defrost fully and follow the instructions in the recipe card for cooking or reheating as appropriate.

Serving suggestions

The crumble can be served hot or cold. Personally, I like to serve it hot with custard or vanilla ice cream.

More About The Creator Sophie before you scroll down for the Printable recipe!

Sophie Lane is the vegan and vegetarian recipe creator and food photographer behind Hare’s Kitchen. She shares simple recipes with big flavours that the whole family will enjoy. You can find her here on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

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