Gluten free puddings can often be disappointing, but this adaptation of a traditional recipe works really well and is lovely served with coconut yoghurt (try The Natural Coconut Yog by the Coconut Collaborative, it’s amazing!) as an alternative to ice cream or custard!

This dessert is also refined sugar free! The coconut sugar is a great alternative to caster sugar as well as the almond flour substituting self raising flour beautifully. Packed with cinnamon it naturally sweetens the dish and helps balance sugar levels. However, it is still sugary so if you suffer with inflammation maybe try a smaller portion if you can discipline yourself – something I struggle with!

Ingredients

  • 700g Bramley apples
  • 225g Cox’s apples
  • 25g coconut sugar
  • 1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the crumble

  • 100g pecans (or walnut halves)
  • 110g coconut sugar
  • 75g ghee (or butter if you’re not following an anti-inflammatory diet)
  • 200g ground almonds
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C. You will need a baking dish about 8 x 11 in (20 x 28 cm) and 2 in (5 cm) deep.
  2. Peel, core and cut the apples into slices and toss them in a bowl with the coconut sugar and cinnamon.  I do this in the baking dish rather than a separate container to save washing up.
  3. To make the topping, simply place the ghee, ground almonds, cinnamon and coconut sugar in a processor and give it a whiz until it resembles crumbs.
  4. Add the pecans and process briefly until the nuts are fairly finely chopped but there are still a few chunky bits.
  5. If you don’t have a processor, in a bowl rub the butter into the almond flour until it resembles crumbs, then stir in the cinnamon, coconut sugar and chopped pecans.
  6. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the apples, spreading it evenly and to the edges of the dish. Press down firmly as the tighter it’s packed together, the crisper it will be.
  7. Bake the crumble on the centre shelf of the oven for 35-40 minutes, by which time the apples will be soft and the topping golden brown and crisp.

Delicious served warm or cold and keeps well in the fridge for a few days if there’s any left!