Vegan Apple & Blackberry Crumble

This Vegan Apple & Blackberry Crumble has been a favourite for as long as I can remember.

Having never been a fan of Cinnamon, I like to add flaked almonds to the crumble topping, and a little almond essence to the filling.

How do you like yours?

As much as I love custard, I really love my smooth Vegan Blackberry Coulis poured over the top.

Chunky cut apples, not pre-cooked for too long, leaves a lovely subtle crunch in the apples. And the blackberries still look like blackberries and not stewed.

However, each to our own, and if you prefer your fruit in a crumble really soft, just pre-cook in the pan for 5 or so minutes longer. But remember, it continues to cook in the oven. ????

This Vegan Apple & Blackberry Crumble is simple to make, it’s a great dessert for a family dinner or served at a dinner party!

Start by making the crumble topping.

Blend the flour, oats, and vegan butter in a food processor by pulsing for 2-3 seconds at a time until the mixture has formed into lumps.

Place the crumble mixture into a bowl and use your fingers to break up any large lumps. But don’t break them down completely. When cooked, the lumpy bits of the crumble topping are my favourite.

Stir in the flaked almonds and half of the vegan brown sugar. Then set aside until needed.

Please note that not all sugars are vegan so it is important to check the packaging. I have used Tate + Lyle Fairtrade Dark Brown Soft Sugar in this recipe and in my Vegan Date & Chocolate Cake Bites, as it is states ‘Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans’ under the nutrition box on the side panel. If it is not stated on the packaging, you can google to see which sugars are vegan friendly.

Another big brand in the UK is Silver Spoon. Most of their sugars are vegan, but they do not put it on the label! However, because I have read their FAQs on sugar, I use Silver Spoon’s caster sugar in some of my other recipes, such as – Vegan Blackberry Coulis.

Next, make the filling by coring and peeling the apples. Then cut them into chunks. Don’t do this until you are ready as apples turn brown very quickly once they are peeled.

Place the apple chunks in a large saucepan with a tablespoon of water and cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Then add the blackberries and the remainder of the sugar.

Gently stir them into the apple chunks and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Next, stir in the almond essence and transfer to an ovenproof dish. There is no need to grease if using a glass dish, but a little greasing may be beneficial if using a metal container to cook in.

Evenly cover with the crumble mixture and place in the middle of a preheated oven, see recipe directions for temperature, and bake for 25-30 minutes.

At this stage, you can keep refrigerated and cook later if you want to prepare the dish ahead of time.

When cooked the fruit should be bubbling and the crumble topping will be golden brown.

Decorate with a few blackberries on the top and serve with either a Vegan Blackberry Coulis or custard, the choice is yours!

ENJOY!