The Old Fort Settlers, on Making ‘Squash-Apple Bake’

2 lb. Butter Nut or Butter Cup Squash
½ cup Brown Sugar, packed
¼ cup Butter
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Mace
2 Baking Apples, cored & cut into ½" slices
1 tablespoon Flour

"Preheat over to 350°[F, or 180°C]. Cut each squash in half. Remove seeds and fibers; pare squash. Cut into ½" slices. Stir together remaining ingredients except apple slices. Arrange squash in ungreased baking dish, 11½ x 7½ x 1½. Top with apple slices. Sprinkle sugar mixture on top; cover with foil. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until squash is tender. Makes 6 servings."

The Old Fort Settlers, Johnny Apple Seed Almanac (1975)

Published by the public library of Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Johnny Appleseed Almanac is a collection of pioneer-era recipes, preserving and pickling methods, household hints and remedies that was put together by the Old Fort Settlers, a group of pioneer arts and crafts enthusiasts from the Fort Wayne area in 1975.

This particular recipe is, very clearly, a crumble in all but name. The interesting twist though, is the addition of squash to the fruit mix, which I suspect works incredibly well. I recently made and hugely enjoyed a pear-stuffed baked squash, so I reckon the addition of a crumble topping and – as surely as night follows day – custard, would enhance the fruit / squash combination further still. I still have a few squash from last year’s harvest, so I’m definitely going to give this one a go. Watch this space.

How about you? Do you like the sound of this sweet / slightly savoury pud? Are there any other fruit / veg combinations that you’d consider putting together in a crumble? What’s the strangest crumble combination you’ve made or tasted to-date? Do please let me know, via the comments.

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