Apple Persimmon Crumble recipe: the lazy girl’s pie

It is a bumper year for persimmons here in Yamanashi, and I have been gifted them everywhere I turn. Now that the weather is turning chilly, I am craving warm desserts at the end of the day. Pies and tarts are all well and good, but sometimes I either don’t have the time, or the energy to make and chill pie crusts. Fruit crumbles are the answer to my laziness. No rolling, trimming or pre-baking needed. Just chop up some fruit, mix up the crumble topping, and pop it into the oven for 20 minutes or so.
—
20cm x 20cm pan
Crumble Topping:

• 100g flour
• 80g brown sugar
• 60g butter or margarine
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of nut meg
• dash of almond essence
• * pinch of salt if you are using unsalted butter or margarine

Fruit filling:

• 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped (I like Fuji or Red Delicious)
• 2 persimmons, peeled, de-seeded and chopped (Fuyu or other non astringent persimmon)
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• dash of cinnamon

———–
1. Combine apples, persimmons, water, cinnamon and 2 tbsp brown sugar in a saucepan or pot. Heat on high until the liquid is boiling. Cover, and turn down heat to low, stir occasionally and simmer until apples and persimmons are easily pierced by a knife tip (about 10-15 minutes).
2. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt (if needed) in a large mixing bowl.
3. Melt butter in the microwave on low, or in a saucepan. Mix in a dash of almond essence.
4. Add melted butter to dry ingredients, and fold in gently with a fork until the mixture forms pea and marble sized lumps. The lumps are good, so don’t over mix!.
5. Pour the apple and persimmon mixture into a baking pan, and spoon the crumble topping evenly on top.
6. Bake in the oven at 170 degrees Celcius for 15-20 minutes, or until the topping is a golden brown color.

serves 4-6, and goes great with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.