Gluten Free Apple, Pear and Date Crumble (with a Lemon, Crystallised Ginger and Walnut Topping)

Gluten Free Apple, Pear and Date Crumble

(with a Lemon, Crystallised Ginger and Walnut Topping)

Photography By Ctrl Alt Delete Design Solutions. Copyrsight © 2017. All rights reserved

Ahhh the humble Crumble-you couldn’t get any more traditionally British if you tried! A hearty warming dessert typically served with lashings of hot vanilla custard; it takes me back to my childhood of chilly Autumn Sunday afternoon’s sat with family around the dinner table, wrapped up in fluffy jumpers and deep in conversation over happenings to come of the week ahead. OK enough already!

For those of you unfamiliar with what a crumble actually is, let me explain. Basically it’s a medley of stewed fruit (usually seasonal) spiked with sweet spices and dried fruits topped with what is if we really boil it down-crumbled pastry if you like, which is then baked in the oven until golden and the fruit oozing and bubbling over the top all lovely and jammy…mmmm…cruuuummmble…

Sweet, and jammy with caramel notes, this I feel is up there with one of my favourite desserts. The Dates give it a real rich depth of flavour and extra sweetness whilst the Apples and Pears give it a delicate finesse that is really complimentary! (you won’t need to add any extra sugar for the filling, trust me!). The topping really is the icing on the cake with this dish, crunchy and nutty with little bursts of moreish intensity from the crystallised ginger pieces.

What Do I Need?

Safety Peeler

Cooking Pan

Medium Size Ceramic OR Glass dish of any shape

Large Mixing Bowl

Measuring Scales

Measuring Spoons

Grater

Chopping Knife

Ingredients

For the Fruit Filling:

4 Large Sweet Eating Apples (I like to use Braeburn) peeled, cored and roughly sliced.

1 x Large Conference Pear peeled, cored and roughly sliced

50g pitted Dried OR Fresh Dates Roughly chopped

Splash cold water

For the Crumble Topping:

200g gluten free flour blend

75g Soya Butter

¼ tsp. Sea Salt

100g Demerara Sugar

50g Walnuts roughly chopped

4-5 cubes Crystallised Ginger roughly chopped

Zest and juice ½ lemon

Splash cold water

1.5 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Method

For the Fruit Filling

Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees c (180 degrees C gas)

Add a splash of water to a large cooking pan, turn the heat to medium then add the prepared Apples and Pears; cover and let simmer until just tender.

Pour the cooked fruit along with any juices and the chopped Dates into a medium size Ceramic or Glass Dish, stir in the cinnamon until all the fruit is well coated then set aside.

For the Crumble Topping.

Place the Gluten Free Flour and Soya Butter into a Large Mixing Bowl and rub together with your fingertips until a breadcrumb texture is resembled.

Stir in the remainder of the dry ingredients, and then grate in the lemon zest.

Stir in a splash of Fresh Cold Water along with the fresh Lemon Juice; mix to form rough lumps of nutty gingery loveliness.

Scatter the crumble mixture over the top of the fruit filling prepared earlier, packing it a little with a dimpling motion with your fingertips; then place in the oven and let bake for about 30 minutes OR until golden and the fruit bubbling up around the edges (don’t panic if this doesn’t happen, it could be that there are no gaps OR cracks created in the cooking process t allow for this).

Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving with lashings of hot Vanilla Custard.

Further Serving Suggestions

This crumble is equally delicious served cold with Soya Cream, Dairy-free icecream OR plant-based Yogurt and a drizzle of Maple Syrup OR Agave Nectar for the extra sweet tooth!

Smoky BBQ Jack Fruit and Rainbow Veg Stir-fry with Toasted Cashews

Smoky BBQ Jack Fruit and Rainbow Veg Stir-fry with Toasted Cashews

Photography By Ctrl Alt Delete Design Solutions. Copyright © 2017. All rights reserved.

I absolutely adore Far Eastern cuisine and it goes without saying that their dishes are so clean and full of vibrancy and most importantly, packed to the brim with the most beautiful flavours that your taste buds would ever encounter! It is these qualities that I strive to achieve in my own gastronomic creations.

Who doesn’t love a good stir-fry? I know I could eat one every day of the week quite easily; there are just so many flavour combinations, I’m pretty sure there are many many more that are yet to be discovered!  I have always geared towards healthy options when it comes to meal times and a stir-fry really does tick all the boxes, although it is lovely to have a treat now and again.

Now-this recipe is something I rustled up very recently; I was out shopping in Cambridge with a very good friend of mine down one of my favourite roads in the City, Mill Road. For those of you that live In the UK and are familiar with the area will know it is THE place to be for the ultimate authentic global gastronomic eating experience! From flavoursome curries of the African Continent; to aromatic delicacies of China and japan; to vibrant and bold flavour sensations of the Spanish islands and the America’s but to name a few, they have it all!  

My friend and I passed a couple of Chinese supermarkets and spotted Jackfruits sat outside the store (I have been DYING to try these things out for an age!), the chap at the counter saw my face light up and explained that these beauties weighed 5KG each (bit of a trek for a tiny lady such as me to shuffle home with) but pointed out that they also sold it in cans of both the sweet and savoury versions (savoury known as ‘young Jackfruit’. I skipped to the counter with a tin of this glorious unknown world and settled my payment, a gleam of utter joy (no word of a lie!) and pure excitement as I left the store for home.

Upon opening the tin, I was expecting an unusual stench (don't ask why...) but was pleasantly greeted by a fresh, sweet floral aroma. I was even more surprised to discover that the flesh is how I remember Tuna Fish being, flaky yet stingy with a firm meaty texture; It really is baffling to believe that this plant based genius of an ingredient is in fact-a fruit and you'll see what I mean if like me, it's new to you too.

Fresh, crisp and sweet, my jackfruit stir-fry really does pack a punch and the BBQ sauce with it’s vibrant kick of smoky sweet n sour goodness really doesn’t compromise on flavour either; it’s a real flavour sensation and the best thing about it is; you’ve probably got all the ingredients in your cupboard at hand to make it without even realising! This recipe is also gluten free which means if you’re having dinner guests-know one will feel left out as you’’ all be tucking into the same dish!

What Will I Need?

Chopping Board

Safety Peeler

Sharp Vegetable Knives

Wooden Spoon

Large Wok

Medium size Cooking Pan

Measuring Cups OR Measuring Jug

Skillet OR small Frying Pan

Ingredients

For The BBQ Sauce:

1 cup/250ml Low Sugar and Sodium Tomato Ketchup (OR regular is fine).

1.5 tbsp. Worchestershire Sauce

A good splash Malt OR Apple Cider Vinegar

1.5 tsp. Smoked Paprika

½ tsp. Garlic Powder

½ tsp. mustard Powder

¼ Cup Brown granulated sugar (I use Demerara)

Squeeze fresh Lemon Juice

For the Stirfry

1 tsp. Sesame Oil

½ tbsp. Water

1 x Can young Jackfruit in Water drained and roughly torn.

2 Medium Carrots sliced into chunky strips

1 Medium Yellow OR Green Bell Pepper (I used a bit of both)

1 Medium Red Onion

6 Cup Mushrooms roughly sliced

¼ Large Broccoli broken into florets

Handful Cashew Nuts

Wholegrain Rice to serve.

Method

To Make the BBQ Sauce

Literally pop all of the ingredients in a medium cooking pan, bring to the boil then let simmer for about 15-20 minutes until thickened, it should coat the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside for later.

For the Stir-fry

TIP! If you’re planning to serve with wholegrain rice, get a pan of boiling water on the go, hen add the rice and turn down to a simmer, cover and let this cook for 25 minutes until just cooked through.

1. Heat the oil and water in a Wok (on a medium/high temperature), then once sizzling add the torn jack fruit, stirring until starting to turn pale, then add all the veg. Cook until the veggies are starting to tenderise.
2. Add the BBQ Sauce and let cook for a further 5-10 minutes until piping hot
3. Lastly, Heat up a skillet OR frying pan and toast the cashews until golden-no oil requires, it’s not needed.

 Serve over the cooked rice and scatter with the toasted Cashews.

That’s it-easy!

This dish would also be fab served up with little sring rolls as a side dish OR even on Cauli rice as another alternative option.

I really hope you enjoy this recipe, as much as I did creating and eating it-it’s probably one of the nicest meals I’ve eaten I have to say!

Now go-go and cook, eat and enjoy. Oh-and let me know how it all goes, I would love to hear from you!