Comforting crumbles

At HFG we love finding ways to make our favourite dishes healthier. From satisfying pies to decadent desserts, we believe that with a bit of nutritional tinkering most culinary treats can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet.

In our November issue, we put the spotlight on fruit crumbles and our chefs surpassed themselves when experimenting with healthier fillings and toppings. In fact, they managed to concoct so many delicious variations there wasn’t enough room for all of them in the magazine. But we didn’t want you to miss out, so we thought we’d share the leftovers with you here. A serving of either crumble contains one of your 5-a-day and is low in saturates and salt.

Apple and raspberry

Serves: 6

Prep: 5 min

Cook: 20 min

400g tin sliced apples

200g frozen raspberries

60g caster sugar, plus 1tbsp extra

60g self-raising flour

40g rolled oats

30g low-fat spread

1tsp vanilla extract

6 small scoops low-fat ice cream, to serve

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Combine the tinned apples, frozen raspberries and the 1tbsp caster sugar in a 1.25 litre baking dish.

2 Put the flour and oats into a mixing bowl, then rub in the spread with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the remaining 60g sugar.

3 Sprinkle the vanilla extract over the fruit, then add the crumble topping. Bake for 20 min or until golden. Serve with the ice cream.       

Per serving: 238kcal, 3.7g protein, 4.9g fat, 2.4g saturates, 35.1g sugar, 3.9g fibre

Strawberry and almond

Serves 6

Prep: 10 min

Cook: 25 min

125g reduced-calorie strawberry jam

500g strawberries, halved

25g toasted flaked almonds

60g caster sugar, plus 1tbsp extra

60g self-raising flour

40g rolled oats

30g low-fat spread

1tsp vanilla extract

6 small scoops low-fat ice cream, to serve

1Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Warm the jam in a saucepan, then add the strawberries and stir to combine. Transfer to a 1.25 litre baking dish.

2Put the flour and oats into a mixing bowl. Rub in the spread until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar and almonds. Sprinkle over the strawberry mixture, then bake for 20 min or until golden. Serve with the low-fat ice-cream.

Per serving: 258kcal, 4.8g protein, 7.2g fat, 2.6g saturates, 34g sugar, 3.1g fibre

Pick up the November issue of Healthy Food Guide magazine for eight more variations including a classic apple and sultana and an exotic pineapple, rum and raisin.

Lactose-free peach melba fairy cakes

By Rebecca Almond

Just peachy! Lactose-free cupcake

For those of you who are lactose intolerant or know someone who is, you’ll be familiar with the problems often faced when searching for lactose-free recipes. So it’s great to hear top London cookery school L’atelier des Chefs has teamed up with Lactofree to offer a series of cookery courses to inspire lactose-free cooking.

From 6 September to 9 November, you can learn how to create favourite dishes – from curries and French cuisine to cakes and bakes – using Lactofree’s cream, spread, dairy drinks and cheeses. And the good news is, it couldn’t be easier! The products can be used just like their lactose-containing equivalents – it’s just a matter of making a straight swap.

We went along to test the claim for ourselves and whipped up a batch of peach melba fairy cakes.

‘If anything, baking with Lactofree Spreadable is easier than butter,’ says head chef Neil Matthews. ‘It has a softer consistency so can be used straight from the fridge. The spread does make a looser cake mixture, but the quantities and cooking times are exactly the same.’ And they taste like the real deal, too.

To whet your appetite, the chefs at L’atelier have kindly shared their Lactofree cupcake recipe, exclusively for HFG blog readers! Why not give it a go, then visit atelierdeschefs.co.uk/en/cooking-classes/themes/1375-lactofree-cooking.phpto see their full range of Lactofree cookery courses.

Peach melba fairy cakes

Prep: 15 min + cooling Cook: 15 min Makes: 24 cupcakes

For the fairy cakes

250g Lactofree spreadable

250g caster sugar                                                          

250g self-raising flour                                                  

4 eggs

1tsp baking powder

50g fresh raspberries                                       

A few drops of red food colouring 

For the peach compote

50g caster sugar

30g fresh peaches, cut into 1cm pieces

100ml dry white wine

For the icing

250g icing sugar, plus extra to dust

100g Lactofree soft cheese

150g Lactofree spreadable                                           

A few drops of red food colouring                              

20g fresh peaches, chopped, and 50g fresh raspberries, halved, to decorate

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and line 2x12-hole fairy cake trays cupcake cases. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the Lactofree spreadable and 250g sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition until well combined. Sift in the flour and baking powder, then gently fold to combine. Add the food colouring and mix gently, then add the fresh raspberries and mix well. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, then bake for 12–14 minutes.

2 Remove the cupcakes from the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat the caster sugar in a saucepan over a low heat until it turns into a dark caramel. Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the peaches. Add the white wine, then return the pan to a medium heat, stirring continuously, for 1 min or until the peaches soften. Remove the mixture and set aside to cool completely.

3 To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a mixing bowl, then add the Lactofree soft cheese, Lactofree spreadable and food colouring and whisk until smooth and combined. Spoon the icing into a piping bag with a star nozzle attachment.

4 Using a small knife, cut a small piece from the middle of each cupcake and set aside. Spoon some of the peach compote into the middle of each cake, then pipe in a little of the icing. Replace the cake pieces, then pipe on a little more icing. Decorate with the raspberries and fresh peach pieces, then dust with icing sugar.

Tip: When using coloured butter icing, use disposable rather than fabric piping bags as the food colouring can stain.

Per cupcake 

222kcal


2.3g protein


12g fat


5.5g saturates


27.2g carbs


20.6g sugar


0.6g fibre


0.3g salt


45mg calcium


0.4mg iron

For more on lactose intolerance and the Lactofree range, visit lactofree.co.uk