Oat-Free Apple Crumble with Vanilla Custard
I was quite literally digging into this whilst trying to take photos, and by the time husband came home there was none left for him to try... so you'll just have to take my word for it - it's good! ;-) This recipe calls for a small amount of honey, but you could very easily substitute this for some rice malt syrup to make it refined sugar free.
The idea of almond milk custard might seem a little out there - I've borrowed this part of the recipe from Theresa Cutter (find the original recipe here) – but for some science-y reason that’s definitely beyond me, it works, and it's delicious!
Makes 1-2 serves
For the filling:
- 3 organic granny smith apples
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tsp organic honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon*
Peel the apples and cut them into wedges. Place one apple in a blender or Vitamix with a little water and blitz until it becomes juice. Place 1/3 cup of the juice in a saucepan with the rest of the ingredients and cook gently until the apples are soft and crumble easily. Pour the mixture into a heavy set dish, and preheat the oven to 160c.
For the crumble:
- 1 x gluten free Weet-Bix
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 2 tbs desiccated coconut
- 1 tbs organic honey
- 1 tbs macadamia oil or coconut oil
- ½ tsp Ceylon cinnamon
Place all ingredients in a blender or Vitamix and blitz to form a crumb. Spread the crumb over the top of the apples, and bake in the preheated oven for approx. 10 minutes, or until brown to your liking.
For the custard:
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 organic egg
- 1 tbs organic honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tbs cornflour
Heat the milk, vanilla and honey in a saucepan. Remove from the heat when almost boiling. Beat together the eggs and cornflour in a stainless steel mixing bowl. Gradually pour over the milk mixture while whisking to combine. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and heat gently with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Immediately remove from the heat and pour back into the mixing bowl, then whisk until smooth. Pour over the crumble straight from the oven! Delicious hot or cold.
*Ceylon cinnamon is often referred to as ‘true’ cinnamon. The common variety (like you find at the supermarket) is usually cassia cinnamon. Both varieties have wonderful anti-inflammatory properties, and both have various other health benefits such as the ability to potentially lower both blood sugar and cholesterol. Cassia cinnamon, however, has been shown to be dangerous to the liver if you eat too much. Ceylon cinnamon is widely regarded as a healthier alternative, and is worth investing in! Read more about cinnamon varieties, and purchase high-quality Ceylon cinnamon.
