french ladies who lunch AND my new favourite recipe

I'm not really a regular luncher because my days are pretty full, but now and again it's good to take a break with a couple of girlfriends.

That was the case yesterday.  Eight amies braved the icy roads to get here.  At -7° outside it wasn't the day to arrive in high heels but they still all looked lovely and were pleased to sit down in front of a roaring fire.

 This lovely white azalea was gifted in a basket, perfect.

I served them my new favourite dessert and thought you may like to try the recipe too.  I have made this twice this week but each time it disappears so fast that I still don't have a decent picture -  sorry!  you'll have to imagine it in your plate  :) 

 We call this our Fruit Crumble Cake, as with all my recipes it is really easy to make.  Good home cooking.

To make the cake you will need a deep 8" cake tin (not loose-bottomed) greaseproof/waxed paper, the oven preheated at 190°.

Ingredients are super simple

125gr  (2/3 cup) ground almonds

125 gr (2/3 cup) sugar

250 gr ( 1 good cup) very cold butter 

250gr (2 cups) plain flour

pinch of salt

3 apples peeled, cored and diced

cup of fresh/frozen raspberries or blackberries or blueberries

juice of a lemon

good sprinkling of sugar to taste

First of all, in a mixer blend together the cold butter and all other dry ingredients.  This must stay crumbly in texture not merge into a firm dough.  Very important!

Put the diced apple in a bowl  along with the lemon juice, sugar and red fruit of your choice.  I have tried blackberries, raspberries and blueberries - all delicious.  Toss them around in the bowl until well coated in lemon juice and sugar.

 Line the cake tin with two criss-cross , wide strips of waxed paper, these are vital for lifting the cake from the tin, so leave them long enough to hang over each side.

 Sprinkle half the mixture into the tin.  Do not push down or smooth, you want the mixture to stay as high and airy as possible.    Now simply tip the fruit in, then cover with the remaining crumble mix.  Again do not attempt to push down or smooth: it will work itself out while cooking.

I stand the cake tin on a tray and bake in a hot oven for about 50 minutes.   Ideally the cake should come out of the oven about 15 minutes before eating.  Let it stand a while then carefully lift out of the tin and onto a serving platter (4 hands needed here!), slide the paper strips out from beneath the cake,  carry to the table and bask happily in the limitless admiration of your diners.

We like to serve this with crème anglaise, but vanilla ice cream would be good too.

bon appetit et bon weekend!