Let me first preface this by saying that I don’t think I have eaten as much dessert since the start of the year, let alone crumble. But since Bumble Crumble opened its doors in Darlington’s indoor market just under two months ago, the classic British dessert has had a hold over me.

 Bumble Crumble opened its doors on West Row, Darlington mid-June and it’s safe to say the café has been a hit with crumble lovers across the town, regularly selling out of the sweet, buttery treat.

Since opening I have tried a few different varieties of the crumbles on offer- from classic crumble topping to granola, and trying it with both ice cream and custard, so I feel I’ve earned the self-appointed title of The Northern Echo’s crumble connoisseur.

I was recently in town one Saturday morning and as usual, I had a ‘craving for crumble’ so I headed over to Bumble Crumble to sit down for a crumble and a brew before heading home for a day of doing chores.

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Having tried the mixed berry and apple flavours previously, I decided to try out their ‘Pear-fection’ fruit filling this visit, coupled with granola and topped with crumbled flake and lashings of custard. I was positively drooling when it arrived at my table.

The giant pot of crumble was jam-packed with sweet, juicy chunks of pear, a beautiful granola mixed with oats, nuts, seeds and freeze-dried berries which occasionally offered a crunchy tartness that perfectly complimented the sweet, classic custard and stewed pears. The flake and white chocolate drizzle were added just because I’m greedy, but both additional toppings felt perfectly in place with the desert.

The Northern Echo: Pear crumble at Bumble Crumble

Because I had been a few times before, I was well aware that it was a huge portion, but that didn’t stop me from finishing off the lot and as usual, it was heaven in a bowl.

Now it is at this point, where I have to confess that I am writing this a week after the event, and I have of course treated myself to yet another crumble.

I had seen on the menu they serve ‘Peachyblinders’- a concoction made up of peaches and brown sugar and had been desperate to get my hands on it. As had, everyone in Darlington it would seem, as they had been sold out each time I had been to try it. But I managed to bag myself one and oh my word- it’s not a stretch to say that it may be the best flavour on the menu (in my opinion).

And if you’re a lover of a classic apple or rhubarb crumble, then don’t worry. They offer apple most days and they’ve recently had an abundance of rhubarb.

They also have a variety of cakes and pancakes on the menu as well as savoury treats if you don’t have much of a sweet tooth.

If you’re in Darlington and you fancy a sweet treat with a bit of a difference, I recommend giving Bumble Crumble a try. They’re pet-friendly, offer gluten-free options and their crumble is downright gorgeous.

Now I’m off to collapse into a crumble coma while people with more willpower and determination than me prepare to run the Darlington 10k.