(Gluten Free) Apple + Ginger Crumble
With a brown butter candied walnut crumble. Served H-O-T, Hot with Fresh whipped cream it is incredible! Its a must for a GF dessert!
So as a baker my worst nightmare is true, I’m afraid. As a lover of artisan bread and all things hand crafted carbs, I have a sad new reality. I must really go Gluten Free.
Over the last 5ish years I have flip flopped between going gluten free and not going gluten free. I’ve gone GF because I noticed it made me bloated and uncomfortable, foggy brained and lethargic. I’ve also not lasted longterm on a GF diet because…….I love good bread and don’t want to admit the level of pain or discomfort it brings.
Anywho—because of this, it is time that I really commit to a GF lifestyle. I am sure some of you suffer from this horrible reality too. I am heartbroken for us all.
Not even sourdough really helps for me. I am always hopeful and think it will but it actually does not. Enough of the sob story, I’ll get on with the recipes now.
For now, I am going to try my absolute hardest to stick with a GF diet and quit making excuses for it. Desserts like this will help :)
Over the years and through many trials of this GF lifestyle, I have tried all the GF baking ingredients and packaged products and they all actually make my symptoms worse than the gluten. Tapioca starch and me are not friends. Arrowroot starch, that’s a no. I think at this point, I’d rather just avoid it than try to make it work with other “like foods”, you know? Unless I’m in another country or outside the US—I’ll definitely go carb crazy. (Currently already dreaming of that opportunity 1 day into my GF lifestyle).
Keep reading to get the recipe for this beautiful Gluten Free Apple + Ginger Crumble and a couple of bonus recipes!
PS. .You will not even know it’s GF. And just because you have to or want to eat gluten free this year, you shouldn’t have to miss out on any of the good stuff!
PSS You don’t have to be gluten free to enjoy this one. You just have to enjoy apples, nuts, spices, good food, and flavor :)
Someone please tell me why the GF ingredients that are supposed to be helpful are actually not any more helpful but hurt even worse?? And yes, I’ve tried all the organic stuff too. It’s just a destiny I must admit to and alter my life to feel better—which ultimately is what I want. I want to feel better, I do not want to suffer anymore. If you like me, suffer from gluten, I don’t want that for you anymore either.
If you, like me, are GF or trying to make the switch to GF and long for delicious baked goods or GF meals—I’ve got us. I’m going to start creating and sharing a lot more GF recipes for us to enjoy!
For starters, this season, I highly recommend you dig into my
GF Apple and Ginger Crumble with a Browned Butter Candied Walnut Crumb Topping.
It is sooooo good! Perfection served warm (or as hot as you can handle) topped with fresh whipped cream. Like not whipped cream but heavy cream un-whipped. However, you do you, I will not stop you nor will I say that either are a bad choice.
What I love about this crumble is that it is so uncomplicated and simple in nature. There is very little added sugar in the apple mix and no added sugar in the topping because it really does not need it. I did not want a sugar overload and I really want natural sweetness from the apples to be enough.
I used my own recipe for paleo candied walnuts in the topping and they add the perfect element of crunch with a hint more of sweetness.
So here’s The Recipe for it all!
Sub-Recipes: Browned Butter and Paleo Candied Walnuts
Browned Butter (Make in advance and let cool before using in other recipes)
Start with 1 stick of salted butter in a large saucepan and melt over medium heat until it starts to bubble. You will see the milk solids start to separate first, it will actually get really foamy and the foam will start to rise quite a bit. About 5-7 minutes in, the foamy bubbles will dissipate and the butter will begin the browning process. Once it starts browning, this does happen somewhat quickly. It will start to take on a nutty aroma when it’s browning. Swirl the butter in the pan or stir it around with a spoon to check the color of the butter underneath the bubbles to make sure it is not burning.
Once completely browned, pour it into a bowl and chill over an ice bath quickly for at least 1 hour before using. Please be careful, this butter will be extremely hot. It actuall takes quite a while to re-solidify—hours and up to overnight in the refrigerator. If you do not need it right away, chill over the ice bath for an hour or two and store in the refrigerator.
*For the crumb topping in this recipe, you will need the browned butter to be melted*
I really like using a high quality butter in most baking recipes, especially a browned butter. I always go for a good grassfed butter. My favorite brands are Kerrygold Irish grassfed butter, Westgold New Zealand Grassfed Butter , and Truly Family Farms Irish Grassfed Butter .
Paleo Candied Walnuts
These candied walnuts are delicious and were born out of a love for southern candied nuts but I wanted them without the tons of processed sugar. So, I adapted a recipe of my own using coconut sugar and maple syrup instead.
Ingredients:
3 Cups Walnuts (You can sub with another nut of your choice)
1/2 Cup (100g) Coconut Sugar
2 tbsp (30g) Maple Syrup
2 tsp Cinnamon
1tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp. salt
1 egg white (whisked and foamy)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Weigh out your nuts in a bowl and mix with the spices, salt, sugar, and maple syrup. In a separate small bowl, whisk your egg white until frothy. Pour the egg white over the nuts and mix really well ensuring all nuts are coated well and that no sugar is left dry at the bottom of the bowl. Once well mixed, spread evenly on a baking sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper. Make a flat even layer, not too much on top of each other.
Bake for 15-18 minutes and mix the nuts up once halfway through baking. With a spatula, you will just stir them around and give them a flip so that the nuts can get crunchy on the other side.
Once baked, let cool completely and store in the freezer for up to several months.
The Apple + Ginger Crumble (with Browned butter candied pecan crumble)
Highly recommend making this apple dessert this year for a gluten free holiday dessert or any time during apple season for that matter! You will love it, it promise! The browned butter really compliments the tart sweet apples. I intentionally added very little additional sugar to the apples to keep sugar low and let the apples do their thing really. There is only a bit of coconut sugar and maple syrup mixed with the apples and no added sugar in the topping unlike a lot of traditional crumbles which use both granulated and brown sugars. Enjoy this healthy-ish dessert and please let me know what you think!!
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As always, I hope you enjoy the food and nourishing your body with intention.
With blessings and gratitude,
Carson <3