Spiced Pineapple Crumble

My parents owned a pineapple farm, so when I was young the fruit was everywhere! No surprise, then, that this pineapple crumble reminds me of home.

Pineapple works incredibly well with cinnamon and nutmeg, and the addition of sugar and butter creates a toffee-like base that I like to round off with a splash of rum. As always, you can omit it, but I feel a few drops add a little something to this dessert. Oats and desiccated coconut (toast it while preheating your oven) add crunch to the topping, making this a great combination of flavors and textures.

You want to choose a ripe pineapple—it makes a massive difference. Ripe pineapple is naturally sweet and packed with flavor. When pineapple is ready, it smells aromatic, the skin turns yellow-brown, and you can pull the leaves out easily. You could, of course, use canned or frozen pineapple if that’s what’s available, but will need to adjust the sugar to taste.

This recipe was excerpted from 'The Thrifty Baker' by Hermine Dossou. Buy the full book on Amazon.