For Jewish New Year, it’s common to find apple cake or honey cake on many Ashkenazi tables. But neither of these desserts really excites me. Fruit crumbles are my go-to dessert all year long for a few reasons: they are easy, they come together quickly, and I almost always have some overripe fruit sitting in my fridge or freezer. Apples are traditional for Rosh Hashanah but since it can often occur at the end of summer, this could be made with peaches, plums, berries, or any combination of fruit that you love.

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 23cm by 28cm baking dish with cooking spray.

• Make the fruit layer: Combine the apples, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice in a large bowl.

• Make the crumble: In a separate bowl, combine all the crumble ingredients, using a wooden spoon, until evenly mixed but there are still clumps.

• Pour the apple mixture in an even layer into the prepared baking dish.

• Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly on top of the apples until they are almost entirely covered.

• Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 60 minutes, until the apple mixture is bubbling and the crumble is golden brown. If the crumbs seem to be getting too dark, you can cover the dish with foil.

• Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream and an extra sprinkle of halva, if desired.
  
  Hawaij Coffee Spice Blend:
  
  Makes: 25g approx
  
  Hawaij is a Yemenite spice blend that has become popular throughout Israel. There are two versions of hawaij, one for soup, which is more savoury, and this one intended for your coffee. It is fantastic for baking projects. Try some in your cookies, mandel bread, coffee cake, babka.
  
  Method:

• Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.

• Store in an airtight container.
  
  Recipe adapted from Modern Jewish Comfort Food (Countryman) / Instgram @shasarna