Fruit crumble is a traditional British pudding made with baked fruit beneath a crisp, buttery topping. For a delicious homemade version, Delia Smith Plum Crumble Recipe combines juicy plums with golden crumbs and a slightly sharp fruit filling.
Ingredients
This recipe serves 6 people and takes around 15 minutes to prepare, plus 35–40 minutes for baking. Fresh plums give the filling a rich flavour, while cold butter helps the topping turn golden and crumbly in the oven.
For the Plum Filling:
750g fresh plums, halved and stones removed
70g caster sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
For the Crumble Topping:
175g plain flour
100g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
75g demerara sugar
A pinch of salt
Choose ripe plums that feel slightly firm rather than very soft. Red or purple plums are both suitable, and there is no need to remove their skins. The skins soften during cooking and give the filling a lovely colour.
Demerara sugar is a good choice for crumble because its larger crystals add a little crunch. If you only have caster sugar, you can still make a good topping, although the finished texture will be slightly finer.
How to Make Delia Smith Plum Crumble
Step 1: Prepare the Plum Filling
Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan), or 375°F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish, approximately 20cm square, with a little butter.
Wash the plums, cut them in half, and remove the stones. If the plums are large, cut them into quarters. Place the prepared fruit in a mixing bowl and add the caster sugar, cornflour, lemon juice, and cinnamon if using.
Gently toss everything together until the fruit is coated with the sugar mixture. Transfer the plums to the prepared baking dish and spread them evenly across the bottom.
The cornflour helps thicken the juices released during baking. I prefer keeping the plum pieces fairly large because they soften beautifully in the oven without completely losing their shape.
Step 2: Prepare the Crumble Topping
Place the plain flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and rub them into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
You should still see a few small pieces of butter throughout the mixture. They melt during baking and help produce a crumbly topping instead of a dense layer of pastry.
Add the demerara sugar and stir gently until combined. Avoid squeezing the mixture together or working it into a dough.
Scatter the crumble mixture evenly over the prepared plums, making sure the fruit is covered. Leave the surface loose rather than pressing it down with a spoon.
For a slightly more rustic finish, I like leaving a few larger crumbs scattered across the top. They turn crisp in the oven and give the pudding a lovely homemade appearance.
Step 3: Bake Until Golden
Place the baking dish on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 35–40 minutes.
The crumble is ready when the topping has turned golden brown and the plum juices are bubbling gently around the edges. The fruit underneath should be soft enough to break easily with a spoon.
If the topping begins to brown too quickly, cover the dish loosely with aluminium foil and continue baking until the fruit is tender.
Remove the crumble from the oven and leave it to stand for 10–15 minutes before serving. This gives the plum juices a little time to thicken and prevents the filling from running everywhere when spooned into bowls.
Serve warm, with the topping still crisp and the plum filling soft and juicy.
What to Serve With Delia Smith Plum Crumble
Plum crumble is traditionally served warm with custard, cream, or vanilla ice cream. Its slightly tart fruit filling is especially good with something smooth and creamy.
Vanilla custard is my first choice. Warm custard adds sweetness and gives the pudding the familiar flavour of a traditional British dessert. Pour it around the crumble rather than completely covering the topping if you want to keep some crunch.
Double cream is another good option, especially if you prefer something less sweet. A small amount of cold cream works nicely with the warm plums.
Vanilla ice cream gives the dessert a different finish. It slowly melts into the hot fruit and creates a creamy sauce that goes well with the buttery crumbs.
For a lighter serving, plain Greek yoghurt is also suitable. Its slight tang goes particularly well with sweeter varieties of plums.
Personally, I think Delia Smith Plum Crumble Recipe tastes best with warm vanilla custard. The creamy custard, soft fruit, and crisp topping make a lovely combination without needing anything extra.
Delia Smith Plum Crumble Nutrition Information
The following values are approximate and based on six servings, without additional custard, cream, or ice cream.
Nutrient | Amount Per Serving |
|---|---|
Calories | 380 kcal |
Carbohydrates | 62g |
Protein | 4g |
Total Fat | 14g |
Saturated Fat | 9g |
Fibre | 3g |
Sugar | 36g |
Sodium | 35mg |
Plums naturally contain fibre and vitamin C. The butter, flour, and sugar contribute most of the calories in this dessert. Nutritional values may vary depending on the plums used and the size of each serving.
FAQs
Can I Use Frozen Plums for Plum Crumble?
Yes, frozen plums are suitable. You can bake them without fully thawing, although they may release more liquid than fresh fruit. Add an extra half tablespoon of cornflour if needed and allow approximately 10–15 additional minutes in the oven. The filling should be bubbling and thoroughly hot before serving.
Why Is My Plum Crumble Too Watery?
Plums contain plenty of natural juice, especially when very ripe. If the filling is too watery, the fruit may have released more liquid than the cornflour could thicken. Use the recommended amount of cornflour and let the crumble rest for at least 10 minutes after baking.
Can I Prepare Plum Crumble in Advance?
Yes, prepare the fruit filling and topping separately and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours. Keep the crumble mixture in a covered container and scatter it over the fruit just before baking. This helps prevent the topping from becoming damp.
How Long Does Plum Crumble Last in the Fridge?
Leftover plum crumble can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Allow it to cool, cover it, and refrigerate within two hours of cooking. Reheat in the oven at 170°C until thoroughly hot. Oven reheating also helps the topping regain some of its crisp texture.
Can I Add Oats to the Crumble Topping?
Yes, rolled oats are a traditional addition to fruit crumble. Replace 25g of the plain flour with 25g of rolled oats for a slightly crunchier texture. You can also add a few chopped almonds for extra crunch, although the simple flour, butter, and sugar topping is already delicious.