Have you ever eaten Loquat Apple Crumble? Do you know what loquats are? Loquats sometimes are called Japanese Plums or Japanese Medlars. They are closely related to apples and have a slightly poisonous seed, similar to an apricot kernel, but you'd need to eat a serious amount to get sick.
What do Loquats taste like?
Loquats have a tangy and have a sweet flavour, which I can't really explain. They say it has the flavour of a peach, apricot, citrus and mango. You usually can't find them at the store, because they tend to bruise easily and have a shelf life of around a week.
When I first move to Australia, I discovered this fruit that ripens in late winter, when I don't have much happening in the garden. Plus I get lots of free fruit! Have you seen the price of fruit lately? (That statement makes me feel old). I usually have so many Loquats, I don't know what to do with them. I also make a delicious Loquat Jam with Vanilla Bean that you need to check out. Jam is a great way to preserve a lot of fruit at the same time, plus everyone loves jam.
Loquats seem to have fallen out of fashion as a fruit for some reason, unfortunately it's not a cool fruit anymore. However they are really tasty, and full of vitamins such as Vitamin A, minerals and antioxidants. It's said that loquats are incredibly healthy for your colon, and are high in fibre. You can find them in older neighbourhoods in Perth's backyards, and are a favourite of the lorikeet parrots (I've covered them with a protective net).
Loquats are related to apples, they are the tropical cousin! That's what makes them perfect as part of your Apple crumble recipe, Loquats complement apples! I don't peel the loquats, but de-seed them (as the seeds are tiny bit poisonous like apple seeds). Some people peel the loquats, and you can do that, but it's a lot of effort as they are kind of tiny!
How to Prepare Loquats
This is an easy loquat recipe. Some people like to blanch their loquats in hot water before peeling the fruit before using. I find this very time consuming and unnecessary. Yes, the skin can feel a bit thick, but it's not a problem when it cooks. The important thing is to de-seed the loquats. Cut then into quarters, and cut out the middle including the seed. It will remind you of an apple. Thats it!
How to Make Loquat Apple Crumble
The rest of the recipe is just like an Apple Crumble recipe, with loquats added into the mix. I use plenty of butter, brown sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg to get the flavor I love. You can use a large baking dish, or smaller individual sized oven proof dishes.
This recipe is so easy to make. Mix together the loquats and apples with lemon an vanilla, and place into your greased baking dish. The hardest part of this recipe is to make the crumble, which just take a minute to make. Mix the flour, oats, sugar and spices together in a bowl, and add cold butter. Using a fork, mix it all into the oat mixture until it crumbles. Sprinkle it over the your apples before baking in an oven for about 35 minutes.
You might not know what to do with your abundance of loquats (which is half the problem). Or perhaps you want to borrow your neighbour's overhanging fruit? Loquat Apple Crumble is an easy & delicious recipe suggestion. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Ingredients
- 4 cups loquats deseeded and quartered
- 4 apples peeled and sliced
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup oats
- ½ cup cold butter
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Butter a 9 inch baking pan.
- In a bowl, toss together the sliced apples, de-seeded loquats and mix the vanilla and lemon juice until coated. Spread evenly across the greased baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together then cut in the butter using a fork or a pastry cutter until it forms a crumbly mixture. I find it’s easier to mix by hand, rubbing the ingredients with my fingers until it forms soft crumbs.
- Sprinkle overtop the apple loquat mixture in the dish. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the fruit is bubbly and the topping is lightly browned. Let cool slightly before serving with vanilla ice-cream or creme fraiche.
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