Gluten-Free Apple, Pear and Cranberry Pecan Crumble
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 1¼cups / 125 grams rolled oats
- ½cup / 70 grams quinoa flour or millet flour (grind quinoa or millet in a spice mill to make the flour)
- ⅓cup / 63 grams raw brown (turbinado) sugar
- ½teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅛ to ¼teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 3ounces (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ¼cup / 30 grams pecans
- 1teaspoon lemon zest
- 2pounds / 900 grams / 4 large apples, peeled and cut in approximately ½-inch dice (see note)
- 2tablespoons / 60 grams unsalted butter
- 2tablespoons / 30 grams raw brown (turbinado) sugar
- 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼teaspoon nutmeg
- 1large ripe but firm pear, peeled, cored and diced
- 1cup / 60 grams dried cranberries
For the Topping
For the Crumble
Preparation
- Step 1
Make crumble topping first. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment. Place oats, quinoa flour, sugar, salt and nutmeg in a food processor fitted with steel blade and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is evenly distributed throughout the grain mix. The mixture should have a crumbly consistency. You can also combine ingredients in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle and mix at low speed until mixture has a crumbly consistency.
- Step 2
Spread topping over parchment-covered baking sheet in an even layer. Place in oven and bake 10 minutes. Rotate pan, stir mixture, and bake another 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stir in pecans and lemon zest.
- Step 3
Turn oven up to 375 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Cook apples in 2 batches. Heat half the butter over medium-high heat in a large heavy skillet until it foams and foam subsides. Add apples and wait until they begin to sizzle, then add half the sugar and cook, stirring and tossing in the pan, until apples just begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with remaining butter, apples and sugar. When second batch has caramelized, add first batch back into pan, then add lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir together for another minute. Stir in diced pear and dried cranberries and stir everything together. Remove from heat and scrape into buttered baking dish.
- Step 4
Spread crumble topping over apple mixture in an even layer. Place in oven and bake 30 minutes, until bubbling and top is nicely browned. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- Advance preparation: You can keep the baked crumble topping in an air tight container or freezer bag in the freezer for several weeks.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
Coarsely chop those pecans. Grate enough nutmeg for both levels. Do make the topping a day or so before the crumble, which can be a labor-intensive enterprise given all the measuring, squeezing, coring, and dicing. For firm, not soggy, fruit, heed the directions and your timer.
This is not a formal cake but rather a humble crumble. Unlike revenge, it is best served warm. Spoon out servings. If desired, gild your "daisy" with whipped cream or creme fraiche, bourbon optional.
Great question or suggestion. I had some cranberries leftover from making a cocktail "shrub" that had the classic tag line "save for another use".
I threw in one cup of basically lightly cooked cranberries once the apples were pretty much done and doubled the sugar. (We're only talking two tablespoons after all.)
The family gave it rave reviews. Finding creme fraiche, that hadn't gone off, in the fridge was a nice add on.
This recipe is good, although the pear adds nothing. However, the multi-step process of pre-browning the topping and pre-cooking the apples takes far too much time. A more traditional approach of simply combining the fruit filling, perhaps with addition of a tablespoon of GF cornstarch, adding the crumble topping and baking it from there would result in a terrific and less labor intensive product. We liked the flavor combination of apple, cranberry and pecan!
I use about a cup of fresh cranberries and just cooked them with the apples. Added a gorgeous color along with that delicious tart tang!
Ten minutes x 2 in oven was too much time for my crumbs and they took on a burnt taste. No time to toss away and start over so I used them as a topping, placing a foil sheet over to minimize additional browning in baking process. It detracted from the flavor.
It tasted good but was so dry and crumbly. Would have to change it if I made it again.
Sweet, but not too sweet. Tastes like fall. I agree with the note to coarsely chop the pecans. Also, did not use a food processor -- mixed the flour, sugar, and oats briefly in a blender and then cut the butter into the mix. Also added more oats for texture. It worked out fine. Didn't have lemons, so I used orange zest, which worked really well (I was nervous about this). Doubled the pear too, which I would do again. This was such a nice recipe to mix up our breakfast routine.
Dec 14/19 did it with regular flour for Santa Claus party. Really good.
It’s absolutely delicious but the ratios are off. Id recommend doubling the fruit.
Topping was dreadful. Presentation of fruit was nice, but not necessary. Butter sauté and lemon/vanilla addition added great depth. Next time maybe just a granola/butter topping.
Disappointed-something was off. Made in 2qt pyrex as was suggested, but too much crumble, no juice. Flavor good but so dry. Won't make again.
Not the same as your average crumble. Has a healthy taste to it. Would probably look for another recipe next time.
Coarsely chop those pecans. Grate enough nutmeg for both levels. Do make the topping a day or so before the crumble, which can be a labor-intensive enterprise given all the measuring, squeezing, coring, and dicing. For firm, not soggy, fruit, heed the directions and your timer.
This is not a formal cake but rather a humble crumble. Unlike revenge, it is best served warm. Spoon out servings. If desired, gild your "daisy" with whipped cream or creme fraiche, bourbon optional.
What would happen if I substituted fresh cranberries for dried?
Great question or suggestion. I had some cranberries leftover from making a cocktail "shrub" that had the classic tag line "save for another use".
I threw in one cup of basically lightly cooked cranberries once the apples were pretty much done and doubled the sugar. (We're only talking two tablespoons after all.)
The family gave it rave reviews. Finding creme fraiche, that hadn't gone off, in the fridge was a nice add on.
I made this for a fall book club gathering. Everyone loved it. The topping is more granulated thank a traditional crumb topping, which I liked because it mixed in very well with the fruit. (I used almond flour in the absence of another type) The carmelized apples really elevated this to something special!
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