Apple crumble an ideal way to capture rich pie taste
Earl Grey lemon teacakes offer dessert without much guilt
TBy Melissa D’arabian
he arrival of apple season is a worthy consolation prize for the departure of summer. Leaves will soon be turning red and golden brown, but for now, I’m celebrating the original fall flavor (before pumpkin spice syrupy things took over the world): apples slow-baked in some form of buttery pastry, filling the house with welcoming aromas that beckon us to light a fire and gather around the dining room table where it’s warm and cozy.
Apple crumble is an ideal way to capture the flavors and toasty aroma of rich pies and tarts a little more healthily. Today’s Fall Apple Rosemary Crumble with Chia Seed recipe takes a few creative turns. I complement the apple filling with another classic autumn flavor: rosemary.
You can add a lot if you are a fan, or just a little if you want the tiniest bit of this chilly-weather-hardy herb. It’s a surprisingly perfect touch of fall that blends just right with the tart apples, and the lemon zest that I also added.
While the filling is a little floral thanks to the rosemary, I still included just a tiny touch of cinnamon, but only in the oat-based crumble topping, exactly where it belongs: as a foil to the bright apple-y filling. You can leave the cinnamon out altogether if you aren’t a cinnamon fan — finally there’s an apple dessert recipe that won’t leave you wanting for more if you skip it.
The filling is thickened with a few spoonfulls of chia seed instead of cornstarch. Chia seeds soften as they plump during baking, and if you use white chia seeds, they will probably go completely undetected. Except that you will be high-fiving yourself for getting in some fiber and omega-3’s into dessert. What’s missing from this recipe is more than half the butter and sugar of typical crumble recipes, but if your family is anything like mine — and I have four young kiddos around the table — they won’t even miss it.
Fall apple rosemary crumble with chia
seed
Start to finish: 1 hour Servings: 8
3 large or 4 medium baking apples, (mostly) peeled, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, about 5 cups; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 1 tablespoon raw sugar; 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary, fresh or dried (or more if desired!); 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 3 tablespoons chia seed (white, if available). treats than for the packaged and processed versions from the store.
Second healthy dessert tip: Cut up small portions of treats and serve them on a tray alongside a healthier “open quantity” option.
Third tip: invest in a confectioners’ sugar duster and fill it up with organic powdered sugar.
Finally, a tip just for the adults: Drink espresso with a chunk of dark chocolate or a small finger of homemade cake (like this week’s Early Grey lemon teacakes) for dunking — the deep roasted flavor of espresso coupled with just a little sweet makes a surprisingly satisfying, and sophisticated, dessert.
Earl Grey lemon teacakes
Start to finish: 40 minutes Servings: 14
Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, whip coconut oil, Earl Grey leaves, lemon zest and agave syrup using a hand mixer until well-blended and light. Add the eggs one at time and mix well with mixer in between. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and mix well.
In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then pour in half the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix very briefly. Add the second half of the flour and mix just until blended. Do not overmix.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until cake springs back after pressing lightly with your finger, about 25-30 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then remove to let cool completely on a rack.
Cut into 14 fingers and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar (optional) and serve. (AP)