With a combination of sweet and tart fruit, crunchy brown-butter topping, this Nutty Flourless Fruit Crumble recipe is a keeper. Using the same base recipe, you can swap/mix and match different fruits to make a delicious crumble every time.
From the lack of desserts on my Instagram or here on the blog, it is easy to see I have no sweet-tooth. All I really need for dessert is a piece of good dark chocolate, or a perfectly ripe fruit or may be a spoon or two of a simple cake. But sometimes, to truly complete a meal, you need a little something special. That’s when I whip up this nutty flourless fruit crumble. This is a perfect little dessert treat that I make often, depending on whatever fruit I have on hand.
How To Crumble
There’s a few things I do when we make this – always use a combination of sweet and tart fruits based on what’s in season where you are ( strawberry and Granny Smith apples, raspberries and pink lady apples, blueberries, pears, plums (see this), ripe peaches etc). Don’t miss out on the salt, it makes all the flavours really pop. A little lemon juice for acidity and a hint of citrus zest. The addition of corn starch makes the fruit juices form a thick sauce instead of becoming watery when baked. I like my dessert not-too-sweet so add honey to taste. No flour means no need for baking powder. The topping has great texture thanks to the almond meal, oats and pistachios (which are the greatest nut ever, don’t @ me). The brown butter further enhances the nuttiness and its exactly what makes this crumble extra special.
The recipe can easily be multiplied to make a bigger batch for a big sharing dessert. It is very important to make sure you rest it when it comes out of the oven. This resting time helps the sauce/fruit base to really settle down and come together nicely. Serve with a dollop of fresh cream. If you have any leftovers, it makes for a great breakfast served over some creamy yogurt.
Nutty Flourless Fruit Crumble
Ingredients
The Fruit Mix
- 1½ cup Pink Lady Apples (peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces)
- 1/2 cup Raspberries
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice + zest
- 1 tsp Corn Starch
- 2 tbsp Honey
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp Vanilla paste
Crumble Topping
- 3/4 cup Almond Meal
- 1/2 cup Pistachios (crushed roughly)
- 1/2 cup Rolled/Old Fashioned Oats
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 100 gms Butter (plus more for greasing)
To Serve
- Fresh Cream or Ice Cream (as required)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, gently toss and combine the apples, raspberries, lemon juice/zest, honey, vanilla, salt and corn starch. Set aside for upto 15 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C.
- In a small pot, add the butter and melt it over medium-high heat. Stir ocassionally until the butter starts to brown and foam, could take upto 2-3 minutes. It should start to smell like toasted nuts, caramel-colour and you'll find brown bits form at the base. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
- Combine the almond meal, roughly crushed pistachios, oats, sugar and add in the browned butter. Mix well until you get a coarse crumble topping.
- Grease a 20 cm pie dish ( or a small baking tray/skillet of your choice) with butter. Add the fruit mix with all its delicious juices and then top off with an even layer of the crumble. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly on the sides. Let it rest for atleast 10 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh whipped cream or ice-cream.
For other delicious recipes from the blog, click here. If you make this recipe and love it, let me know in the comments below. When sharing on Instagram, tag me @rupalbhatikar.
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