Apple and Almond Crumble Slice

I was looking for something sweet to go with my new favourite tea -  Oolong Ginseng Tea - which I totally fell in love with in China. I mean I really fell in love with it! I passed over pots of beer for it, that's how much I loved it. I'd take a bath in it if I could justify wasting all that lovely tea.

The original recipe for this fruity little slice calls for raspberries, but I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the price of raspberries here at the moment, so I opted for apples and it really works. Of course it works, a.p.p.l.e. - c.r.u.m.b.l.e... hello, not a new idea!

Anyhooooo... It turns out, Apple and Almond Crumble Slice and Oolong Ginseng Tea are a superb combination, they go together like pretzels dipped in chocolate... and I know you've done that before...


Apple and Almond Crumble Slice
slightly adapted from Janelle Bloom's Family Food & Weekend Feasts

1 1/2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup ground almonds
3/4 cup caster sugar
200g unsalted butter, chopped
about 4 medium apples, peeled and cut into small dice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup sliced natural almonds
icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C fan-forced. Grease a 2 1/2cm -deep, 11cm x 34cm rectangle tart pan.

Put the apples into a medium saucepan with 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and 1 tablespoon water. Heat over low heat until the apples have softened, but still keep their shape. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Combine the flour, ground almonds, caster sugar and butter in a food processor. Process until the dough almost comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured bench and gently kneed until smooth. Press two-thirds of the dough over the base of the prepared pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until light golden. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 200 degrees C fan-forced. Scatter the apples over the lukewarm base. Crumple the remaining one-third of the dough evenly over the apples, then sprinkle with the almonds. Press down gently on the almonds and topping to secure them to the apples. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is light golden. Allow to cool for 1 hour in the pan. Cut into fingers and serve lukewarm or at room temperature, dusted with icing sugar.