Cherry & Apple Crisp

I was feeling inspired by a dozen apples that came home recently with us, and by a post from the folks at #FreshBloggers, on what we might be doing with the new crops of apples out there. Apple crisp sounded toasty n’ warm, made for fall.

I worked with a basic recipe, that had contained flour in the topping. My first gluten-free try found the topping to be extremely sweet and as Kirk had put it, “it needs more crispy topping”. In other words, it needed a more granola like topping. Sugar levels lowered, oats bumped up. And it had to have cherries added, with a splash of lemon juice to brighten it up!

The second version of the recipe made me happy. Bubbly, warm, made the house smell wonderful – and being both gluten-free and vegan, Alistaire could enjoy it with us!

Cherry & Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

• 5 crisp apples, such as Fuji’s
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 cup Dried Cherries
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
•  2 tsp corn starch (or tapioca starch)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats (gluten-free if needed)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup brown rice flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ cup virgin coconut oil, solid

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°, liberally spray an 8×8″ baking dish with coconut oil. Peel, core and thinly slice apples. Add to a large mixing bowl with cherries, lemon juice, sugar, corn starch and cinnamon. Toss gently to coat, transfer to baking dish.

Mix oats through sea salt in a small bowl, add in oil, work into fine crumbles with fingers.

Spread crumb topping over top of apples.

Bake for about 40 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

Let cool before serving.