Delia Smith Gooseberry Crumble Food

GOOSEBERRY CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.Toss the gooseberries with the caster sugar, spread in the bottom of a medium ovenproof baking dish with 2 tbsp water.
• To make the crumble, put the flour, butter and a big pinch of salt in a bowl. Rub together with your fingertips until you have a rough breadcrumb texture. Mix in the demerera sugar.
• Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the gooseberries. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until top is pale golden and crunchy and the gooseberries bubbling. You can also give the crumble a quick flash under a hot grill to give the top an extra browning if you like.

ENGLISH GOOSEBERRY COBBLER

Steps:

• All you do is arrange the fruit, caster sugar and elderflower cordial in the baking dish, then get on with the topping. Place the sifted flour, salt, baking powder and butter (first cut into chunks) into the goblet of a food processor. Then switch on and give it a pulse (on/off) action several times until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Then pour in the buttermilk and switch on again briefly until you have a thick, very sticky dough. Now spoon tablespoons of the mixture over the fruit - the more haphazardly you do this, the better. Lastly sprinkle the crushed sugar over the top of the dough, then pop the dish on to a high shelf in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until it is a crusty golden brown. Serve it warm from the oven with (if you want a real treat) Gooseberry and Elderflower Ice Cream.

EASY GOOSEBERRY COBBLER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Place the gooseberries, caster sugar, ginger and elderflower in a saucepan with 4 tbsp water and cook, covered, for 5 mins until the berries begin to pop. Tip into a baking dish.
• Make the topping. Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, then stir in the caster sugar. Mix in the buttermilk to give a soft, sticky dough. Dollop spoonfuls on top of the gooseberries, then sprinkle with the demerara. Bake for 25 mins or until golden brown and crusty. Stand for 5 mins, then serve with some low-fat ice cream, fromage frais or custard.

GOOSEBERRY FOOL

Steps:

• Put the gooseberries and sugar in a pan with a splash of water. Heat gently, stirring, then bring to a simmer and cook until the fruit starts to burst. Squash the gooseberries with a potato masher or fork until pulpy. Cool then chill until cold in the fridge.
• Put the yoghurt in a bowl and beat with the icing sugar and vanilla until smooth. Gently whisk in the cream (it will thicken as you whisk so don't overdo it). Ripple through the gooseberry pulp then spoon into pretty glasses or bowls to serve.