Navel oranges are particularly sweet and tangy with a firm but juicy texture. The flesh is superb and the zest is a treasure of its own. I’ve used both in this dish, which I enjoy equally as a rich breakfast or a feel-good dessert. The zest is in the “breakfast crumb”, where its aromatic essential oils go beautifully with nuts, seeds and dried fruit, giving a taste a bit like panforte. I’ve been making variations on these crumbs for years and this is one that I almost always have a jar of in the pantry, ready to sprinkle on a fruit breakfast or add to a smoothie. It’s also great mixed into frozen fruit “icecreams” for a hit of chewy texture and rich flavour. This recipe makes plenty for later so you only get the food processor out once for a whole lot of reward. It’s interesting how the character of the crumb changes depending on how finely you process it — try it at different stages to see what you prefer. Eagle-eyed readers will notice there’s a little bit of salt in this recipe, a pinch of the good stuff brings out the flavours and ties them all together. As a variation you can also add a few tablespoons of carob powder or cocoa nibs.
Breakfast crumb: Place the nuts, seeds and orange zest into a food processor and blitz for about 30 seconds until well broken up. Add the salt, raisins and dates and keep processing until you get a slightly-clumpy texture.
Citrus: Spread half the breakfast crumb on each plate. Cut the orange in half then into pieces, arranging these on top of the crumb. Spoon half the coconut cream/yoghurt into the middle of the orange pieces and top with a sprinkle of coconut sugar and poppy seeds. A sprinkle of spare orange juice on the crumb makes it extra juicy and delicious.
