Serves 6

Ingredients:

For the fruit filling:

1/3 cup/70 g granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
4 ripe Bosc pears, peeled, each cut into 8 wedges, and cores removed
1 cinnamon stick

For the crumb topping:

3/4 cup/120 g all purpose flour
1/2 cup/105 g granulated sugar
1/2 cup/50 g old-fashioned oats
Pinch of salt
1 stick/113 g chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup/70 g sliced almonds, coarsely chopped
Vanilla ice cream

Method:

To make the fruit filling:

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Place the sugar and salt in an 8-inch-/20-cm-square baking dish. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the sugar. Stir to blend the vanilla seeds into the sugar. Add the pears and toss to coat.

Arrange the mixture evenly over the dish, tucking the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean halves beneath the pears. Set aside while you prepare the crumb topping.

To make the crumb topping:

In a medium-size bowl, mix the flour, sugar, oats and salt to blend. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until moist clumps form. Mix in the almonds.

Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the pear mixture. Bake for one hour, or until the fruit is tender and the topping is golden brown.

Allow the crumble to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Spoon the crumble into bowls and serve with vanilla ice cream.