Preserved Meyer lemon adds a complex citrus flavor with a hint of spice and tanginess to fruit crumble, enhancing the overall taste. Marinate firm fruits like apples or pears overnight in brown sugar and If & When Moroccan Preserved Meyer Lemon Paste for deeper flavor with less effort and fewer ingredients.
Need
Fruit Mixture
12 oz rhubarb, roughly chopped or seasonal fruit of your choice
¾ TBS Moroccan Preserved Meyer Lemon Paste (½ TBS if 'marinating' firm fruit the night prior such as apples or pears)
2 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 TBS flour
Topping
10 TBS flour (⅝ cup)
4 TBS oats
2-3 TBS brown sugar
¼ cup cold, unsalted butter (4 TBS) + more based on texture
Optional: pinches of nutmeg and cardamom
Do
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Filling
In a large bowl, combine fruit, brown sugar, vanilla and Moroccan Preserved Meyer Lemon. Mix well and transfer to a container if marinating overnight or for the day.
Transfer to baking dish (8 x 8 inches) before baking.
Crumble Topping
Mix flour, oats, sugar and spices in a bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture becomes crumbly. The butter should look like tiny coins as its slips through your fingers. Add more butter for desired texture.
Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit mixture in the baking dish.
Bake and Serve
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm or room temperature with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of Greek yogurt or fresh cream.
Notes
Brown sugar, with its molasses content, adds a caramel-like flavor and slight moisture, complementing preserved lemon and other flavors. The sugar in the topping can be adjusted to taste. In one version, we used just over a pound of apples (2/3 sour green, 1/3 sweet red), providing enough natural sweetness to reduce the sugar without overpowering the crumble.
Update
October 2024: We served the crumble at home for a cookbook author and chef. I accidentally used raw sugar instead of brown sugar. I also used rice flour, which has less gluten than regular flour, making the topping drier and less cohesive. To adjust, I added extra butter to achieve the right crumbly texture. The chef loved it and asked for the recipe! Marinating/macerating overnight is key—the time, sugar, and preserved Meyer lemon do all the work. (Carla DeLuca, co-founder)
