You have got to try this recipe! Apple Crumble

Well, back at it again after a bit of a sad time these past couple of days - saying good bye is never easy, and certainly not to a member of the family such as a precious dog. However it does make it easier when she wasn't well and was ready to move on.

Of course, I have been feeling her around me for the past day - slowly making her journey onwards to other worlds. And what do I do to cope with loss and grief? Cook. Eat. Walk. Perhaps that is really all a person can do under these circumstances. Do the best you can with where you are.

Tonight we had her funeral - and why am I telling you all of this and what does this have to do with apple crumble? I made enough food for an Irish wake ( I guess it is an Irish wake, I mean she was an Irish dog and this is Ireland...) so, we have loads of food to eat and I am doing what I love to do in her honour.

But, also being a long weekend and Samhain coming up next week - I like to make special foods for this the second most important holiday all year. One of my favourite dessert dishes when the apples are fresh is an apple cobbler or crumble. 

This is super easy to make and I promise there won't be any left over! 

Apple Crumble

Sauce;

5 large apples chopped (mixed types is good)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup water

1 tblsp custard powder or cornstarch with 1 tsp vanilla essence

¼ cup honey

Topping;

¾ cup spelt flour

½ cup oats

3 tblsp butter

¼ cup maple syrup

pinch salt,  pinch baking soda

Preheat oven to 175ºC and prepare a medium sized baking dish by rubbing butter on the inside.

Chop the apples into large and small pieces and place in a sauce pan with the water, cinnamon and honey. Bring to a boil, turn down and cook gently for about 10 minutes. Add in the custard powder – or you can use cornstarch with 1 tsp of vanilla essence. Turn off the heat and allow this mixture to cool down. It should thicken slightly.

In a deep bowl place the dry ingredients spelt flour and oats. Using your fingers rub in the butter and then mix in the maple syrup with a wooden spoon. If you want more for a thicker crumble or bigger baking dish, add more oats and a little milk.

Place the apple mixture in the bottom of the baking dish and start crumbling the oat paste over top. Cover as much as you can, especially in the middle, the liquid at the sides will bubble up either way. 

Place in a hot oven for about 20 minutes until the topping is browning and the apple sauce is bubbling a little. Take out and serve immediately on it’s own or with goat’s milk ice cream. Greatest dessert I’ve ever had!

I think it may take us a couple of days to work our way through all of this food...

April

Apple Crumble