I have a couple of foodie questions....

[DustyTv]

How do you make crumble topping?

Can I use forzen fruit in a crumble? (Do I need to defrost it?)

I took some mince beef out of the freezer this morning to make spag bol tonight but it is so cold here that it is still rock solid. How can I defrost it so I can use it tonight? Or should I do spag bol tomorrow and let it deforst overnight.

Basic crumble topping: Rub 150g butter into 300g flour, then mix in about 100g sugar (demarara makes it more crunchy). Another recipe here

I suppose it depends on the fruit as to whether you need to defrost...berries no, big bits of apple maybe.

You could defrost meat in microwave or leave until tomorrow

I would defrost the fruit first, so you can drain the juice off - don't want a soggy crumble.

This is the crumble topping I use from the bero book. If I need to do a bigger crumble I would just double the ingredients.

2oz marg
4oz self-raising flour
2oz sugar

Rub fat into flour, add sugar and mix.

I also add to the crumble gratings of fresh nutmeg, or sometimes cinammon.

In relation to your mince question, I would put the mince in the fridge so it can defrost overnight and make something else for tonights tea.

my fave crumble mix

Combine 4oz self raizing flour, 2oz dessicated coconut and 2oz soft brown sugar

melt 3oz butter and stir in

It is divine

agree with tamasin day lewis re: desiccated coconut, tis like toenails

bung mince in microwave, defrost on a med setting a little at a time and scrap of the defrosted bit into the pot. Once you are left with a smalle lump chunk in pot and brown slowly braking up block unti all defrosted in bits and browned.

hana - Bero book states s/r but I suppose it does not matter if it is plain flour as it does not need to rise.

Wow thanks everyone, the dessicated coconut in the crumble sounds delish. The fruit I have is frozen berries and I was gonna add some fresh apple to it.

I forgot to add I don't have a microwave so I will do something else tonight and have spag bol tomorrow. I think I was hoping that someone had a magic way of defrosting meat lol.

Now what to do for tonights dinner.................

s/r flour makes a lighter crumble

I have defrosted mince in pan by warming slowly and browning then scrapping. takes a while and I get quite vicious hacking it into little lumps, but it can be done.

hanaflower, just normal porrige oats, I never thought to use somthing like that in a crumble, sounds lovely.

My mind has gone blank, I cannot think of anything for tonights dinner....I might do a cheaty dinner of jacket pots with salad or something easy.

oh I forgot cinnamon

I think i have my quantities right

i use

1 cup self raising flour
half a cup dessicated coconut
half a cup soft brown sugar
half a tsp cinnamon
3oz melted butter

mix it all in

(I found on another thread)

They are english/aussie cups not US ones

I'd leave the mince till tomorrow. I have never successfully defrosted it without leaving it.

Stick the meat in a frying pan on a low heat and keep scraping at it as it defrosts - will be fine.

You cannot use marge in a crumble - will taste of , well marge and that is vile beyond belief!