This recipe is one we have always loved, but have recently changed. My dad has recently decided to go gluten-free, and is greatly missing all his beloved desserts and baked goods he usually enjoys. When we had family over for a BBQ last weekend, I was tasked with making a pudding that we could all enjoy. So I racked my brains to think of one that I could adapt to be gluten-free, and then I remembered this crumble that we sometimes make. I knew we had lots of oats in the cupboard and I thought why not grind down some oat flour and make this crumble into an oaty one?
Well, my sister was very upset to learn that we were having what she viewed as a sub-par version of our regular crumble. However, when I served it, the whole family agreed that this Oaty Pear and Chocolate Crumble was delicious, maybe even better than the normal version! Plus oat flour has more nutritional value than milled wheat flour, so while this recipe certainly isn’t “healthy” (see the use of a whole jar of Nutella), it at least has some nutrition and fibre from the oats.
While I like using oat flour, if you aren’t a fan, you can just use normal plain flour, or any gluten-free flour you like if you want it to remain gluten-free. You could also sub the Nutella for pieces of your favourite chocolate, however, I love the nutty flavour the spread brings. I also think the pear and chocolate flavours just go together so well.
You end up with quite a lot of extra pear juice from the tins, but don’t let it go to waste! I poured the excess into ice trays and froze it. It makes the perfect addition to a smoothie, making it cold but not diluting it. Or you could even make a pear flavoured summer cocktail with the ice cubes!
This Oaty Pear and Chocolate Crumble takes around 30-40 minutes to cook, depending on your oven. You want to look out for the top of the crumble turning golden brown, as you want it to be a little crispy on the top. If you’re looking for a super easy recipe that can’t go wrong, give this one a try!
Oaty Pear and Chocolate Crumble
Ingredients
- 250 g oat flour
- 150 g salted butter
- 125 g golden caster sugar
- 400 g Nutella (1 regular jar)
- 800 g tinned pears (2 regular tins)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C or fan 180°C. To make the crumble topping, chop the butter into small chunks, then add to a bowl with the flour and sugar. Rub in the butter with your fingertips, then when you can’t rub in anymore, stir it together with a wooden spoon to combine. It should feel almost like crumbly cookie dough.
- Take the pears out of the cans but save the juice in a bowl. Chop the pears into bite-sized pieces then layer into the bottom of your chosen crumble dish. I used a 4-inch deep 9-inch casserole dish. Spoon on 5-6 tbsp of the reserved pear juice. Then add the contents of your Nutella jar and spread over the pears to cover them.
- Finally, spoon on the crumble topping, breaking it apart a little with your fingers if the clumps are too large. Make sure it covers as much of the fruit and chocolate as it can. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the topping is turning golden brown. Serve with fresh cream.
Method in Pictures
Gather your ingredients
Chop up the butter and add to the oat flour and sugar
Rub together until the mixture combines
Chop the pears and add to the bottom of the dish - save the juice
Add 5-6 tbsp of the juice
Spread over the chocolate spread
Spoon on the crumble layer
Cook for 40 minutes at 180C
Serve with fresh cream