Apple and Oat Crumble
A crumble is one of the simplest British puddings, and it survives losing its sugar, butter, and white flour better than almost any dessert. The apples bring their own sweetness, concentrated by baking and helped along by raisins, and a paste of soaked dates sweetens and binds the topping at once, taking the place of butter that would normally clump the crumbs. Ground almonds and oats keep the topping tender and give it structure, walnuts add crunch, and a little cornstarch thickens the apple juices so the filling holds together on the spoon. Cinnamon and lemon do the seasoning. It is the same warm, bubbling dish, built entirely from whole foods.
Ingredients
- 6 wholes Apples, about 2 lb, cored and sliced
- 1 whole Lemons, zest and juice
- 1/3 cup Raisins
- 1 1/2 tsp cassia cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 6 wholes Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup Rolled oats
- 1/2 cup Almond flour
- 1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped
- 2 tbsp Ground flaxseed
- 2 tbsp Unsweetened almond milk
Method
- Heat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice and zest, raisins, cinnamon, and cornstarch, then spread them in a baking dish. The cornstarch thickens the juice the apples release so the filling sets into something spoonable instead of watery, and the lemon keeps the fruit bright.
- Soak the dates in 3 tablespoons (45 ml) hot water for a few minutes, then mash or blend them with the soaking water into a thick paste. This date paste is the only sweetener in the crumble, and it does the second job butter usually does: it makes the topping clump instead of staying as loose dust.
- Rub the date paste, almond milk, and flaxseed into the oats, almond flour, and walnuts with your fingertips until the mix holds together in rough clumps. Almond flour is ground nuts, not refined grain, so it keeps the topping tender and rich the way white flour and butter would, without either.
- Scatter the topping over the apples in uneven clumps rather than a smooth layer. The craggy bits are what crisp up, so leave gaps and peaks instead of packing it flat.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the apples are bubbling at the edges and the top is deep golden and firm to the touch. Let it settle for 10 minutes before serving so the filling thickens as it cools. Good warm, and just as good cold from the fridge the next day.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 260 calories, 5 g protein, 7 g fiber, 15 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
