Apple Crumble

Foods that make us happy

Comfort food has the ability to wrap its aromas and mouth feels around you and give you little bursts of joy. Do you sometimes eat something and right there on your seat do a little happy dance usually with your shoulders?

Emotional brain

To start off, the smell when this apple crisp is baking is unbelievable. It might bring up good memories. Or at least create happy new ones. Then as you eat it, you inhale sweet apples. Smells are powerful.

oats-and-brown-sugar

More than just the smell though

The warm crunchy oats have toffee-like bits that get stuck on your teeth sometimes. And not just crunchy, there’s also the bite of tender yet firm fruit.

This ticks the healthy box because it is actually eating granola and fruit. It is gluten free and vegan (if you substitute the butter with coconut oil).

DSC_1287

How to serve it

Warm as a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Or for breakfast with a cup of tea, coffee or in a bowl with yoghurt.

Apple crisp

Double recipe

The recipe is a general guide for homemade muesli. Depending on the ingredients you have in the kitchen you can make your own version.

Kenyan variations

It doesn’t have to be an apple crisp. The fruit in this recipe could be firm not completely ripe mangoes or guavas.

Make this crisp with homemade or shop-bought muesli. Moisten with butter or coconut oil and sweeten to your taste. Toss a little into the chopped fruit, spread the rest over and bake.

Final tip
If you have planned well, unlike some of us who randomly decide to get up and bake, soak the oats for about an hour or so in water, a dairy free milk or milk. And then proceed.

Gluten free Apple Crisp


Ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled or regular oats
  • 1/3 cup crushed nuts and seeds: sesame, cashews, macadamia, almonds, hazelnuts. walnuts, pecans, sunflower, pumpkin (whichever you’ve got)
  • 1/3 cup desiccated coconut or coconut flakes
  • 1/3 cup dried fruit: raisins, cranberries, dates, figs, apricots
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Apple filling:
  • 6 cups cubed apples (6 medium apples)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 150°C or 325°F.

In a bowl, add the 1 cup oats, 1/3 cup crushed nuts and seeds, 1/3 cup desiccated coconut, 1/3 cup dried fruit (can substitute the last two ingredients with more nuts or oats) 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon.  Spoon it lightly to mix. Add the 1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and make sure to coat the dry ingredients. It doesn’t look any different, but it’s moistened.

Peel and cube the apples relatively large. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 Tablespoon cornstarch.  Using a rubber spatula give it a gentle toss until it is all coated.

Grease a baking pan or a cast iron skillet and spoon the apple filling making sure it is spread evenly. Spread the crisp topping over the apple.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes (if you want it really crispy bake for 40 minutes). Halfway through the baking time, rotate the tin.

Enjoy!

 

One Comment Add yours

  1. I love the look of this, I bet it tastes delicious 🙂

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