With the weather getting ever cooler as we head towards winter it’s impossible to resist the temptation of warm and comforting foods. Food such as soups, casseroles, risottos and warm desserts. One of those desserts I crave in winter is a crumble. Cooked fruit and a crunchy topping is a delicious textural flavour sensation that can’t help but warm your soul.
While apple crumble is a wonderful staple to have in your repertoire, I love playing with different fruit combinations and toppings. For this crumble I wanted to combine some of the beautiful plums and pears we received in our farm box, but for the crumble topping I wanted to do something a little different. Chocolate and pears go wonderfully together as do chocolate and plums, so I settled on a chocolate crumble topping to which I added quinoa flakes.
When I served the crumble my boyfriend admitted that while he enjoys fruit crumbles the crumble topping is not usually his favourite part, but in this case it was. I was surprised because I wasn’t sure what he would think of the addition of quinoa to the crumble topping, but perhaps he didn’t notice……
What is your favourite crumble combination?
Chocolate Quinoa Pear & Plum Crumble
Ingredients
- 3 pears cut into cubes and peeled if you like
- 3 plums cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of plain flour
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- CRUMBLE TOPPING:
- 3/4 cup of plain flour all purpose
- 2 tablespoons of cocoa
- 1/4 cup of white sugar
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons of white quinoa flakes
- 115 grams of butter cut into cubes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsuis (350 degrees farenheit).
- In a bowl add the cubed pear and plums and add the sugar, vanilla extract and flour and mix together until the fruit is coated. Pour the fruit into individual ramekins and set aside while you make the crumble topping.
- In a mixer bowl add the flour, sugars, salt, quinoa flakes, cocoa and butter and mix until the butter starts to form pea sized clumps.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping over the fruit.
- Bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden and the juices start to bubble through the crumble topping.
- Serve with vanilla bean ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
I will definitely have to try adding quinoa flakes to my crumble! Although I personally can’t handle a crumble without oats and nuts so I’d have to modify it a bit 🙂 What a great idea though – thanks for sharing!
Never tried adding quinoa to the crumble…..my fave part is the crumble! I actually make extra and freeze it- then I'll bake it and have with ice cream.
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Love the quinoa addition here! Anything with rhubarb would probably get my vote in the favourite crumble category. Good old apple is fabulous too though!
Heidi xo
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Love the quinoa addition here! Anything with rhubarb would probably get my vote in the favourite crumble category. Good old apple is fabulous too though!
Heidi xo
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Thanks Charissa! 😀
I love the combinations you choose…and the bowls that you picked are beautiful. Reminds me that I need to go prop shopping.
The buttery sugary crumbles are the perfect way to perk up anything. Quinoa pear and plum sounds beautiful!
awesome —-love the crumbles
I'm quite the opposite, the crumble top is my very favorite part. I could just nibble on that all night long and well, put chocolate in it, now we're talking!
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The crumble topping is almost my favourite part too, but then again, it wouldn't be the same without the fruit. I just love crumble! 😀
This is brilliant! I love quinoa, but I've never used it in a dessert before. I will now!
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Very yummy recipe Jennifer, I love plums and pears.I just got a box of quinoa last week and now I knw what I m doing with it!
P.S. I love your plum colored bowls to complement a plum recipe 🙂
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Thanks Tanvi 😀
I live in the US and thought I misread the first line since you posted today. It's trying to turn into summer here, but the weather is NASTY so I could def. eat a crumble right now. Love the idea of the chocolate tweak. Thanks
Mmmmmm. I haven't had any kind of crumble in aaaaaaages! This one looks incredible! I especially love the addition of quinoa flakes! Ingenious!
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I just wanted to make sure i got this right… You used white quinoa flakes??? Are these cereal flakes??? I just wanna make sure I have the ingredient correct before I start trying out this crumble topping… Thank you so much
Hi Dawn 😀 yes, they are white quinoa flakes.
Quinoa crumble sounds delicious! I made a quince crumble recently and I think that could easily be my new favourite, alongside with your recipe!
What an awesome idea to add quinoa – good to get a bit of nutrition into something decadent 🙂
We have been eating a few fruit crumbles lately too with all the cool weather. I love your idea of adding quiona flakes and cocoa to the crumble and plums, why have I never tried plums in a crumble before 🙂 awesome!! and your little pink ramekins are so pretty!!
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Thanks Trudy 😀 Plums were delicious in the crumble. Not sure I hadn't thought of it before either, but glad I did 🙂
Yummy. Looks great. I love crumbles. My favourite would have to be rhubarb crumble, on its own or with apple. Massive craving now!
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This looks amazing, what a great idea – a chocolate crumble 🙂
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I love this fruit combo for a crumble and using quinoa is a great idea! BTW sorry to put it here but I answered your email the day that I got it but I just got a non delivery notice. PLMK if there is another email address I can send it to 😉
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Thanks Lorraine. Got it 😀