almost the last of the peaches + breakfast crumble

Home Baked: A year of Seasonal Baking - Summer

Summer is gradually giving way to autumn. I love this change in season, although I’m not sure I’m quite ready to say goodbye to the very few warm days we’ve had this summer. The next few weeks are bountiful with so much produce available. I hope you enjoy the last of the summer instalments of Home Baked: A Year of Seasonal Baking.

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The baby swallows have left the nest. For a few weeks, we have watched three baby birds grow from tiny featherless creatures, barely able to peek over the sides of the nest, to fully-fledged swallows, shoving and squabbling for nest space when they really grew too big. The parents decided to build a nest on a post right outside the back door, unperturbed by the regular comings and goings. They would spend all day swooping under the verandah before landing precariously on the bit of post not taken up by the nest, depositing food into the gaping mouths of their babies before flying off to find more morsels. One early morning, the parents must have decided that today was the day, and with a cheep of instruction, the baby birds flew onto a nearby fence. They sat there for most of the day, testing their wings, flitting from one bit of fence to another. As twilight set in, they were back in their nest, squished together in order to fit. This continued for a few days. Forays into the wild during the daylight hours and a night time in the nest. Until one day, they didn’t return.

Haws and barely worth bothering with elderberries

There are signs that summer is waning. Each day is just a little shorter. The roadside is heavy with blackberries and haws, the berry of the hawthorn. The birds love both of these, and there is plenty to go around, enough for the wildlife and the humans. Our young elder have a few clusters of berries, and there is a wild plum tree on our verge, the small, deep purple plums evident against the green of the leaves. It’s difficult to get to and is surrounded by long grass, the perfect environment for snakes. The three species of snakes we have in Tasmania are all highly poisonous, and while I really don’t mind them, I don’t want to tempt fate! I have a thought, though, of a wild jam made with these plums, elderberries, blackberries and haws, so donning my gumboots and arming myself with a stick might be an option. The rosehips are still a little while away, and they are always better after a frost. Wild apples are plentiful, the offspring of orchard varieties that are of no particular variety and variable quality. The fruit is yet to mature, but before long, they will be useful for jams and chutneys.

In the vegetable patch, the beans love the cooler nights and the still, relatively warm days. I have a mixture of purple beans, butter beans and regular green beans, along with scarlet runner beans, which I think are my favourite. Plucked straight from the vine, they are crunchy and sweet. The tomatillos are fruiting, their papery cases slowly filling until they stretch tight around the tomatillo. The pumpkins look promising, but I’m loath to say too much in case I jinx them. The last couple of seasons haven’t been good for pumpkins, and I’m guarding against last minute disappointment!

In the orchards, the apricots are done, but the peaches and nectarines are hanging on. The plums, however, are in full swing. It has been a good season for plums; even our tiny tree has three golden drop plums. I check them daily to see if they are ripe in the hope of eating them before the birds; however, their timing seems impeccable, and I’m not confident!

It makes sense to enjoy the last of the stonefruit at every opportunity, and as someone who is partial to dessert for breakfast, the thought of a barely sweet, fruity crumble for breakfast seems ideal. This recipe is infinitely variable. A winter version with apples, pears, and hazelnuts would be delicious, or a tropical summer one with mango, passionfruit and coconut. You can make the filling and crumble separately the night before and then assemble it in the morning before putting it in the oven. While the crumble is best fresh from the oven, I’m happy reheating the leftovers over the following few days.

Breakfast Crumble

serves 6-8

• 1 kg stone fruit, stone removed and cut into wedges. I used a mix of white and yellow peaches, nectarines and plums.

• 1 tablespoon cornflour

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 150 g traditional rolled oats, you could also use a mix of other rolled grains such as rye or barley

• 50 g flaked almonds

• 40 g wholemeal flour

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 50 g almond butter

• 50 g salted butter

• 50 g honey

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Put the prepared stone fruit into a pie dish or other shallow oven-proof dish. Sprinkle over the cornflour and toss gently. Drizzle the honey over the fruit.

In a bowl, mix together the oats, flaked almonds and cinnamon. Put the almond butter, butter and honey in a small saucepan and melt over a gentle heat. Stir until it is combined, and then pour over the rolled oats. Mix well, making sure that the oats are well coated.

Spoon the oats over the stone fruit and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Check after 25 minutes or so. If the top is browning too quickly, cover with foil.

Remove from the oven and cool a little before serving with a dollop of Greek yoghurt. Leftovers will keep for a few days and can be reheated in the oven.

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Next time: a newfound appreciation of blueberries + blueberry scrolls

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