Back to Basics: Fruit Crumble (Vegan & Free From)

Back to Basics: Fruit Crumble (Vegan & Free From)

Hello 🙂 I hope you are enjoying the holidays (those of you with children off school at the minute)! 🙂 So, I was asked for a crumble recipe recently so thought that was ideal for my second back to basics instalment! Even though the weather (in the UK) is getting warmer, a crumble is still delicious! Try it cold on its own or with ice cream, cream or yogurt. Having said that… today it is cold and rainy so most definitely crumble with lashings of hot custard weather!

In my mind, crumble is one of the easiest desserts to quickly produce! It’s fantastic if you suddenly find that you have way too much fruit for smoothies, packed lunches or snacks! (that’s what happens when we visit our local market)! The most popular crumble (in the UK) is ‘apple’ crumble. It’s so simple it is often used in schools as an introduction to food technology. There are two different methods you can use: the chop it up, throw the crumble over and bake method, or the cook the fruit first, throw the crumble over and bake method! I prefer to cook the fruit through first so I can adjust the spices as necessary and when the crumble bakes the topping will stay crisp rather than getting a ring of congealed fruit juices around the edge. 🙂

You can use any fruit for crumble – experiment with your own choices but the following are tried and tested tasty versions: apple & cinnamon; rhubarb; pineapple & ginger; apple & blackberry; gooseberry; pear & raspberry or plum! We love crumble! This time, I used a mixture of apples, pears, nectarines and yellow plums! Delicious! 🙂  This is (of course) a vegan and free from crumble topping and this is VERY good… try not to eat it all before you bake it!!! 🙂

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Fruit Crumble (Vegan & Free-From)

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 45-50 mins
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Gather

• Mixed fruit (7-8 pieces apple sized)
• 1 cinnamon stick (if using apples in your fruit mix)
• 50g raisins or currants
• 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 40g coconut sugar
• 40g coconut oil
• 120g oat flour (GF if required)
• 100g whole oats (GF if required)
• 35g cashews (optional blitzed)

Prepare

1. Chop the fruit into bite sized pieces and cook on a gentle heat with a small amount of water. Add in a cinnamon stick if using.
2. Throw in the raisins (other dried fruit such as apricots go well too)!
3. Sprinkle over the powdered spices, stir through and allow to cook until almost soft (but not mushy).
4. While the fruit is cooking make the crumble topping.
5. Rub the sugar into the oil (you can use butter/dairy free spread too) until you have a sticky mixture.
6. Add in the flour (normal flour works too) and rub in until you have a crumb like texture.
7. Stir through the whole oats. Tada… crumble topping ready! 🙂
8. Put the cooked fruit in an ovenproof dish and spread the crumble topping evenly over the top being sure to completely cover the fruit.
9. Bake in the oven at Gas Mark 5 (375f / 190c) for 20-30 minutes until the topping is browned.
10. Enjoy! 🙂

Serve & Store

1. Serve on its own, with ice cream, cream, custard or yogurt.
2. Once cool store refrigerated for up to 5 days. Eat cold or reheat thoroughly.

Here is the finished crumble… yumyum! 🙂

 

Apple Crumble!

Crumble & Custard

Moist juicy delicately spiced fruit inthis vegan crumble

Ready to serve vegan and free from crumble.