Pacific crumble

Pacific crumble is a coconut and coffee delight. Photo / Janna Dixon

I had this idea about making a variation on the old broken biscuit fudge recipe using coffee instead of cocoa, coconut biscuits and adding some ginger and lime. It didn't quite work out.

I boiled the butter and sugar too long, I added some instant coffee (instead of the cocoa) and it formed lumps.

So what does any good cook do? Turn it into something else and pretend that was the plan all along.

In fact a crumble is a fairly non threatening dessert to make and you can create many variations by mixing the fruits you use and adding things to the crumble topping.

1. Lightly poach some peeled, sliced apples and put them into a baking dish.

2. Melt 200g of butter and stir in ½ cup of raw sugar.

3. Add a dessertspoon of instant coffee and stir together - don't worry if it goes lumpy.

4. Crush a packet of coconut Krispie biscuits.

5. Process the above together with the the fine zest of a lime, the juice of ½ a lime, a teaspoon of vanilla paste or a splash of vanilla essence.

6. Process to a rough crumble.

7. Add some finely chopped preserved ginger.

8. Press the crumble on to the apple then pour coconut cream over the crumble so it fills about 1/3 of the depth of the baking dish.

9. Bake in a medium oven until the topping is crispy. Serve with some more coconut cream.

Get fruity

Fresh, poached or roasted fruit, is a simple way to offer a sweet ending.

* When melons are affordable, make a 50/50 sugar syrup and infuse it with root ginger. Strain and freeze the syrup. Slush it up with a fork and drop over the melon.

* Poach fruits in a light syrup, sweeten with honey or palm sugar. Add a small amount of spice - cinnamon, vanilla, star anise, cardamom or cloves. Strain the syrup and reduce it to make a sweet glaze to pour over the poached fruit.

* Place sliced fruit in a baking dish, sprinkle with raw sugar, add citrus juice, a few lavender flowers or a sprig of lemon verbena, and roast in a medium oven until the fruit is soft. Serve with lightly whipped cream.