That magical blend of fresh apples sweetened with natural honey and tossed in a blend of delicious spices all topped with sweet and buttery oat crumble make this Spiced Apple Crumble oh-so-good! In fact it is so good that my rather fussy (but darling) nephew and his ever hungry Daddy thoroughly enjoyed it - so much so that they asked for seconds, success!
I must admit I have even eaten this for breakfast a few times and why not? It is all natural and full of fruit, oats and wholesome goodness. This recipe also uses nutrient rich honey and coconut sugar instead of regular refined sugar for sweetness. Coconut sugar has a host of nutrients including iron, zinc, calcium and potassium, some short chain fatty acids, polyphenols and antioxidants to boot! It is also considered a low G.I. food so your blood sugar remains more stable and you don't get those quick blood sugar rushes and crashes. I find it complements the flavor the crumble very well too! Using spelt instead of regular plain flour also helps up the health benefits of this gorgeous crumble but of course you can use plain flour too. Last but not least, oats contain beta glucan and are gut friendly which I love! So enjoy this recipe knowing you can indulge without the guilt!
It's great on its own but also perfect with some fresh cream or vanilla ice-cream too.
MY TIPS
Mix up your crumble with a mix of fruit e.g. apple with pear/berries/peaches all work well
You could a tablespoon or two of desiccated coconut or a 1/4 cup chopped nuts to your topping for a change in texture
Add some chopped naked ginger to the apple mixture just before adding to your baking dishes for a nice flavor variation
As this bakes, it will shrink (as the moisture cooks out of the apples) so try to ensure your filling and crumble mixture reaches the top of your dish (for best presentation)
YOU WILL NEED
6 apples peeled and thinly sliced (to ensure they cook through and soften)
1 heaped tablespoon of melted butter
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 tablespoon white spelt flour or plain/all-purpose flour or maida
1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon (I love cinnamon so I always go for the full amount)
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
Pinch of clove powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup white spelt flour or plain flour
4 tablespoons coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
Good pinch of salt
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
Lightly grease two 12cm/4.5 inch square baking dishes and set aside. Alternatively you can place into one appropriate sized large baking dish.
Place apples, butter, honey, coconut sugar, cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg, clove powder, vanilla extract and salt in a large bowl and taste the mixture to ensure you're happy with the sugar/spice ratio and adjust accordingly if necessary.
Spoon apple mixture into your two baking dish/dishes.
In a medium mixing bowl combine rolled oats, flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, butter and salt, ensuring the mixture is well combined and not dry in any one place, if it is, add a little more butter and keep mixing until well combined.
Spoon the topping evenly between the two dishes, ensuring an even covering and allow to bake for 15-20 minutes or until the topping becomes golden brown and looks crisp.
Allow to cool a little and serve warm as is or with ice-cream, whipped cream or custard.
SERVES 6-8
Tried this recipe? Tag @eatinstylebyferitta or #eatinstylebyferitta so I can see your creations and show you some love ♥