Crunchy Gooseberry Crumble

Gooseberries have been on our ever-expanding list of 'must-try' items. We had heard about them (like so many other things here in the UK) but had just never gotten around to eating them. They are quite tart, and require a good shot of sweetness to balance that tartness.

I liked the flavors at work in this dish though, given the proportions in the recipe, there wasn't enough 'stuff' on top (butter and sugar) to really bind the oats together into something resembling a crust. So when I scooped it out, the granola stuff just kind of slid off in bits rather than sticking to itself (and the filling).

Next time, I think I'll put some more butter and sugar in the topping mixture and see if it binds it up a little more.

GOOSEBERRY FILLING
450 g gooseberries
75 g caster (superfine) sugar, to taste

TOPPING
175 g crunchy oat cereal or granola
1 tablespoon demerara sugar
25 g butter, cut into small dice

Heat the oven to 200C and place a baking sheet inside to heat up. Wash the gooseberries, remove the husks and pat dry with a clean tea towel.

Tip the gooseberries into a pan, add the sugar and place over a high heat until they begin to release their juices, shaking the pan frequently. Divide the gooseberries among four individual ovenproof dishes.

For the topping, mix the crunchy cereal and demerara sugar together.

Sprinkle evenly over the gooseberries to cover them and dot with the butter. Bake for about 10-15 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the gooseberries are bubbling up around the sides. Leave to stand for 5-10 minutes to cool down slightly before serving.