15 August 2017

Crumble Kits

Cath's Crumble Kits also found in the Cheapskates Club Recipe File Desserts Click through for more crumble kit ideas
Crumble Kits
I love anything that makes life easier, but I certainly don't like to pay the price for convenience.

Instead I MOO as much as I can and one of the things that makes my life a lot easier and saves us a lot of money is crumble kits.

We've fallen out of the habit of having dessert after our meals and it was showing in my grocery budget. The fridge fairies were striking overnight and food that was planned for another meal was disappearing.

A quick survey of the troops and I realised they were hungry and missing dessert after their dinner.

I try to make our desserts as healthy as possible without going overboard, so we have things like apple and rhubarb crumble or peach cobbler or fruit salad cake, steamed fruit pudding, lemon delicious, baked rice custard, fruit pies, and they're usually served with a boiled custard or cream (or in Wayne's case both), or  fruit salad, fruit platters with dip and so on.

I've shared before how I make up MOO packet cake mixes and how they are so convenient.

Well, I make up crumble kits too and they are really convenient as well.

When I want to make a crumble I take the fruit off the pantry shelf or out of the freezer, grab a crumble kit from the pantry, add the melted butter, dump it all in a pie dish and bake it. Easy! I can get a crumble in the oven in under five minutes, fantastic for busy nights.

I use my big baking dish to make crumble. It makes enough for at least two nights of desserts and a couple of lunches - about 14 serves. I just put the leftover crumble into a Tupperware container and keep it in the fridge. The next night I reheat however many serves we need in the microwave.

As a bonus, crumble kits are great for camping. I make them up in large ziplock bags and they store flat in the tucker box.

Crumble Kits

Into a large ziplock bag add:
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
3/4 cup coconut
1 tsp mixed spice

Seal the bag.

On the front of the bag write:
To make up melt 125g butter. Add to dry ingredients. Mix well. Spread evenly over the top of fruit. Bake 30 - 40 minutes until topping is browned and fruit is bubbling.

I usually make up a dozen or so at a time and keep them in the pantry. Without the butter added they are shelf stable for months.

If you have freezer room you can add the melted butter and make the topping. Store the packets in the freezer so the butter doesn't go rancid - it will if you keep them in the pantry.

To use the frozen crumble kits just take one out of the freezer. It will be a solid block. Let it sit for a few minutes then either crumble it over the fruit with your fingers or use the coarse side of a grater to grate it over the fruit. Add 5 - 10 minutes to the cooking time.

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  1. Thanks Cath, this is one tip I'd love to use :)

    1. They make getting a really nice dessert ready so easy Amanda. Crumble kits are one "convenience food" I'm happy to have in the pantry :)

  2. Rebecca FinlaysonFriday, August 18, 2017

    This is genius lol! Ill be making these this weekend.

    1. Not sure about genius Rebecca, but they sure are handy. I used to always have stewed fruit in the freezer, but would have to take the few minutes to make the topping and honestly usually by the time I was ready to do that I was too tired. Crumble kits to the rescue! In the time it takes to melt the butter the dish is greased and fruit dumped into it. Then 1 minute and it's in the oven - dessert done in under 3 minutes :) We take them camping with us too - apple or apricot crumble in the camp oven is too die for :)



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