APPLE & FIG CRUMBLE
I cannot believe that it has taken me this long to come up with this amazing autumn combination. Figs and apples both hit peak ripeness at the same point in the season and could not be a better pair! While I am lucky enough to have fig trees at my parents home, you can likely find fresh ones in September in local farmers markets or stores. You want them to be slightly squishy as that means they will be nice and sweet and purple on the outside.
I love using a mix of apples in a pie or crumble to give depth of flavor and texture. Here I used some Gala, Honey Crisp, and Pink Lady for a mix of sweet and tart.
The filling for this crumble is incredibly easy. Simply the fruit itself and some cornstarch and a bit of sugar to help soak up some of the moisture and bring out the natural sweetness.
Baking the fruit first will allow for the filling to create the perfect gooey texture and to not be too runny. Then you can add on the delicious oat topping!
APPLE & FIG CRUMBLE RECIPE
Time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
Filling
5 medium/small apples peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2" chunks
8-10 figs stemmed and quartered
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Topping 1/4 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tbsp light brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp table salt
2 tbsp plant-based butter
Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together in a large bowl. Add the apples chunks, figs, lemon juice, and toss gently to combine.
Transfer the fruit filling to an 6-inch baking dish (I used a medium cast iron skillet), cover with foil, and set a foil lined rimmed baking sheet on a rack below for easy cleanup in case it bubbles over. Bake the fruit until it is hot and has released most of its juices, 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile, pulse the walnuts, oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a food processor until the nuts are finely chopped. Add pulsed mixture to a bowl and use fingers to work butter into mixture, pinching it between your fingers until small pea sized balls form.
Remove the fruit from the oven carefully, uncover, and stir. Sprinkle the oatmeal topping evenly over the fruit. Bake the crisp until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling, about 10 more minutes. Let the crisp cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Add a dollop of your favorite Ice Cream, Enjoy :)
