On a cold, winter morning when it is still dark outside and the street lamps are glowing there is nothing better then a warming bowl of porridge for breakfast.
Similarly, on an autumnal evening after a meal, a crumble is just the best thing for pudding. So why not bring these delicious foods together? Think of layers of creamy porridge, tangy fruit and then a crunchy, sweet topping. To me that sounds like a pretty good deal.
This recipe was featured as an article on The Bubble Durham this week and I thought I would repost here since I am loving it. http://www.thebubble.org.uk/lifestyle/food/studentmeals-crumble-porridge/
There were a few things I had to consider when creating this dish. I wanted a breakfast that was nutritious and not packed with extra sugar and fat, but I was also tempted by some serious texture, with both chew and crunch – so here is my version! The porridge layer is essentially a baked porridge, so a slightly more solid-type porridge then made in a pan but still creamy. This is super simple, all you do is put the milk, oats and spices in a pot. I experimented with the apple/fruit layer, trying it with and without sweetener and also cooked and pre-cooked apple. After much deliberation and recipe testing from my housemates (thanks girls!) I found that microwaving the apple with spices and a hint of honey produced a softer, texture and sweeter flavour, without losing the tanginess.
The top was definitely the most challenging part and where this breakfast could potentially go from nice and nutritious to a sugar fest. I thought about two ways of making the topping, firstly and most simply with granola as the crumble top. Although this worked to an extent as it required less cooking, I do think one of the best bits of a crumble is the texture; how the crumble topping has that balance between crunchiness but also how it binds to the filling to give an extra chewiness. The granola offers a perfect crunchiness but lacks the classic crumble chew.
The alternative, however, is to make your own granola/crumble topping. Although this sounds like an unnecessary faff it is so simple – oats, honey, a dash of oil, salt and any nuts or seeds that you fancy. This requires longer baking then the granola top (although only 5 minutes or so) but it gave me the crunchy-chewy crumble vibe that I was looking for. This is also great because you can moderate yourself what you put on the topping; many shop-bought granolas are packed with sugar. It truly is the best on a cold, crisp morning, wrapped up in your dressing gown. This with a huge mug of tea is a great way to start.
So here we go, my twist on porridge, combining two British dishes to make a warming autumnal breakfast – enjoy!
Crumble porridge
Serves 2
Ingredients:
Porridge and apple:
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 apple
2 tsp honey
2 tsp cinnamon
salt
Topping:
1/2 cup oats/nuts/seed combo
2 tbsp honey cup honey
2 tsp oil (sunflower, coconut, butter, olive - whatever you have!)
1 tsp cinnamon
2 pinches salt
(see notes and variations below the method)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C
For the porridge place the oats, milk, water, 1 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a small oven proof dish (about 10 cm in diameter), alternatively two large-ish ramekins.
Chop the apple into pieces (about 0.5-1cm in length) and place in a bowl with the honey and remaining cinnamon.
Microwave on a high heat for 1 minute, then remove and spread over the porridge layer.
To make the granola/crumble top, mix together all the ingredients and spread evenly over the apple layer.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the crumble is golden brown.
Best served with natural yoghurt and a drizzle of honey.
Notes and variations:
Add nuts and seeds to the topping for a protein boost, to feel fuller for longer in the day.