Apricot Crumb Squares
 
Perfect with a cup of tea at home or for an afternoon summer picnic. And they’ll keep for up to 5 days in a plastic container in the fridge.
 
Takes about 1¼ hours • Makes 16 squares

175g/6oz plain flour

140g/5oz light muscovado sugar

140g/5oz butter, softened

1 tsp ground cinnamon

icing sugar, for dusting

FOR THE CAKE

175g/6oz butter, softened

200g/8oz golden caster sugar

3 large eggs

175g/6oz plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

2–3 tbsp milk

8 fresh apricots, quartered (or canned in natural juice)

 
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4/fan oven 160°C. Butter a shallow 22cm/8½in square cake tin. Put the flour, muscovado sugar, butter and cinnamon in a food processor with ½ teaspoon of salt and blend to make a sticky crumble.

2 Using an electric hand whisk or wooden spoon, blend the cake ingredients, except the milk and apricots. Gradually add enough milk to make a creamy mixture that drops from the spoon. Spread in the tin and scatter with apricots. Top with the crumble and press down.

3 Bake for 45–50 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin, then cut into 16 squares and dust with icing sugar.

 
• Per square 332 kcalories, protein 4g, carbohydrate 42g, fat 18g, saturated fat 11g, fibre 1g, added sugar 22g, salt 0.52g