From Blissful Basil by Ashley Melillo
Serves 6–8 | 1 hour +
Keep things fresh and seasonal by enjoying Apple-Almond in the fall and winter months. It involves fewer than ten ingredients and just 15 minutes of active kitchen time. Then, pop it in the oven for an hour (or less) and do your own thing while the fruit softens and the topping crisps up to golden-brown perfection. Serve them all on their own or à la mode with coconut milk ice cream.
APPLE FILLING
4 large (2 pounds) Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and diced
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons arrowroot starch
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
ALMOND TOPPING
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
1/2 cup raw almonds*
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing
Preheat the oven to 350 ̊F. Lightly grease a medium round, oval, or rectangular 1 1/2-quart baking dish with coconut oil.
For the Apple Filling
In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced apples, maple syrup, lemon juice, arrowroot, and cinnamon. Toss to coat, and transfer to the prepared baking dish.
For the Almond Topping
Add 1/2 cup of the rolled oats and the raw almonds to a food processor and process for 15 seconds, or until a coarse meal forms. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and whisk in the remaining 1 cup rolled oats, cinnamon, and sea salt. Add the maple syrup and melted coconut oil and stir to combine.
To Assemble
Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apple filling. Bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the topping is deep golden brown and you can hear the liquid bubbling within the filling. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.
Serve with vanilla coconut milk ice cream, if desired.
Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to 4 days.
No Nuts? No Problem | To keep this crisp nut-free, swap the almonds for raw shelled sunflower seeds.
What can I use in place of oats and coconut oil in this recipe? I can’t eat oats even though I love them.