Several years ago, the thought of asking a complete stranger if I could take photographs on their orchard would have seemed ridiculous. Fast forward a few years and life has changed. I now find myself looking for different ways to tell stories through food and photos and sometimes this means approaching strangers. Thank you to social media for making like minded people easier to find and for taking some of the weirdness out of it.
On Sunday I took a quick road trip and visited a particularly lush and abundant orchard in search of apples. These Fuji apples were due to be picked the very next day so I was just in time, thanks to the generosity of the property owners. I traded home grown lamb, sourdough and olive oil for camera time with the apples and I wished that more transactions in life could be as fulfilling. I also wished that I could just lose myself in the cool shade of those trees more regularly, observing their changes and their characteristics.
As I made my way home I took the long way just so I could drive past a favourite strip of road side stalls. Discovering fresh figs perfectly wrapped and carefully placed in an old fridge with an honesty box filled me with joy. Perhaps its just me who gets excited about these things!
There will be more apple inspired photos to come from my adventure but until then I hope you enjoy this recipe with plenty of cream or ice-cream. The figs are optional but I would recommend them if you can find them.
Are you picking or cooking apples?
Would you take the long way just to drive past a good road side stall?
Cream or ice-cream?
Happy Sunday, friends x
- 6 green apples peeled, cored and chopped into cubes
- 4-6 fresh figs quartered
- 60 g brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon ground
- 100 g rolled oats
- 30 g shredded coconut
- 30 g flaked or slivered almonds
- 90 g brown sugar
- 40 g plain flour
- 75 g butter melted
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Preheat oven to 180°C. Combine fruit, sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Place fruit mixture in an ovenproof dish.
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Combine all of the topping ingredients in a large bowl.
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Spread the topping mixture evenly over the top of the fruit mixture. Bake for 40 minutes or until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling and soft. Serve warm with cream or ice-cream.
Cheryl
I ADORE a good crumble!
It doesn’t matter what the sweet fruity filling is, everything works in my books.
Ice Cream…always…there is something so satisfying about hot fruity deserts and cold ice cream, slowly melting it’s rivers of white down the sides.
It’s cool and showery and Autumn like here today…Hmmm…just perfect for a crumbly desert tonight in my opinion 😉
Jane S
Thanks Cheryl, you describe a crumble beautifully!
Francesca
I have both apples and figs coming out of my ears, and if you lived a little closer, you could come and pick some here Jane. This looks like a lovely simple and honest recipe using all the pantry staples and it will be the next thing I make. Thanks for the prompt.
Jane S
Thank you Francesca, I would love to visit you and your trees!
Sue Heward
I love this going to try today cheers Sue
Jane S
Thank you Sue…I am looking forward to meeting you in Orange!
Kate
I have apples and pears that I was going to stew and add to my morning cereal, but I think a crumble is just what’s needed tonight. Yum.
I am as equally excited by roadside produce stalls and as there are no long winding country roads here, the monthly produce swaps are our equivalent.
Jane S
Your swaps always sound lovely Katie!
Kate B
I love a good crumble and apple and fig sound perfect Jane xx
Jane S
Thanks Kate, Happy Easter x
Mimi
This is fabulous! I didn’t expect you to use fresh figs for some reason!
Jane S
Thank you Mimi! Lovely to hear from you.
Brydie
It’s funny how things slowly change don’t they Jane. Asking a complete stranger to take a picture crazy crazy one year and then the next year you realise, yeah that’s all completely changed.
Crumble is still one of my favourites for dessert, you can’t go wrong.
(and ice cream and cream…as my Grandpa says! 🙂
Jane S
Ice cream and cream sounds good to me Brydie! Your grandpa is a wise man.
Laura
I recently foraged a few kilos of apples which were turned into a few crumbles, dried slices and some spiced compote for winter porridge. I think if I could get my hands on some fresh figs they’d be eaten up too quickly to make it into a crumble!!
I’d definitely take the long way to go past a road stall (especially if there were figs).
If I had to choose I’d go cream but if not i’ll have both please.
Have a great week.
Cheers,
Laura
Jane S
Thank you Laura, so lovely to read your comment!
Annie Bart
Whilst I was away visiting newly settled family we found some old apple trees on their new property. Such excitement, so we just had to have apple crumble that night. I love the idea of adding figs though. Must try that. Might have to take a trip to my old home where there is a very good fig tree by the workshop! You must have had fun Jane and what a lovely swap. I bet they are still licking their lips.
Jane S
Those old apple trees sounded amazing Annie, what a find! Happy Easter x
Anne
How wonderful to come upon a roadside stall selling fresh figs. Must admit though that if I’d bought figs, they probably wouldn’t have made it to the crumble. Your crumble topping with oats and coconut sounds interesting – makes mine seem very plain and boring so I shall have to try it when the apples ripen.
Custard with crumble. Always.
Should you ever need a photo shoot amongst Christmas trees, just let me know …
Jane S
Oh yes…custard is a wonderful addition Anne. Thanks for the reminder. I would love to create a magical photo shoot in your Christmas trees, I can almost picture it now.
Kylie
Hi Jane. Lovely to catch up with what you have been up to via your beautiful blog. Always inspiring to hear of people being ‘brave’. ❤️
No apple picking for me. Am taking a fast from posting on Instagram, however made an exception to celebrate my beautiful first born recently. I have 2 more books you may like. I’ll take a photo and email to see if they are of interest.
Happy photo taking and exploring the long way home. My husband and I took the long way home to visit a friend last year. Darwin to Broken Hill via Carins. Lots of fun 😊
Jane S
Thank you so much Mrs Green! I would appreciate those books, thanks for thinking of me. You and your husband take wonderful expeditions. Happy Easter!
Liz
Oh Jane, how exquisite!
Gillian
Made this fabulous recipe yesterday 26th March 2022. I have a fig tree and was looking for a new recipe to use lots of figs.
I doubled the recipe and put a thick layer of fig quarters on top of the apple 🍏. The melted butter gave me the best crumble mix I’ve ever done. I had no slivered almonds so substituted whole roasted almonds, chopped quite roughly. The extra crunch was lovely. Definitely a great recipe and very easy to feed a dozen!
My guests loved it with vanilla ice cream drizzled with fig syrup.