Fruit Dessert

Plum Walnut Crumble

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Makes 4-6 servings.

Towards the end of the summer season, in September and October, I like to make this not sweet, gluten free dessert, which can be assembled and refrigerated at any time and then baked as needed.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 ¾ pound Italian plums, about 25

  • ¼ cups sugar

  • 1 tablespoon cognac or fruit flavored brandy

TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 ¼ cups walnuts, about 4 ounces

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F

  2. Grease an oven proof dish (10 x1 ½ ) with olive oil.

  3. Rinse, dry, pit and cut the fruit into quarters. Place in a bowl and toss with the sugar and brandy.

  4. Spread the fruit in the dish.

  5. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade chop the nuts coarsely. Transfer to a dish, add the olive oil, sugar and cinnamon. Combine.

  6. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit and bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the fruit is almost soft.    

 
 

Baked Apples with Cranberries

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Makes 2 -4 servings.

This easy-to-make dessert is a warm, nutritious winter pick-me-up. The number of servings will depend on your appetite.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 tablespoons dried cranberries  

  • 2 tablespoons apricot jam

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

  • 1/3 cup warm water 

  • 2 small golden delicious apples

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F.

  2. In a small bowl combine the cranberries, jam, honey, almonds and warm water.   

  3. Cut the apples in half lengthwise, core with a melon scooper and peel.

  4. Place the apples tightly in an oven proof dish. 

  5. Divide the cranberry mixture among the apples.

  6. Bake the apples for about 40 minutes, until tender.

  7. Serve with the accumulated juices.   

 
 

Apple Tart

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Makes 9 servings. 

I like to make this tart in a square pan and cut it into square slices. The tart does not get soggy even after a few days; there is very little in the filling to create moisture.  

It is quite convenient to have the shell prebaked, frozen and ready to be filled.  

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup all -purpose flour  

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • Zest of 1 lemon

  • 8 tablespoon unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces

  • 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

FILLING:

  • 3-4 medium Golden Delicious apples 

GLAZE:

  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • ½ teaspoon almond extract

  • 1/3 cup apricot preserve

PREPARATION: 

  1. Line a 9x9 inches square baking pan with parchment paper.  

  2. Place the flour, sugar and lemon zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until combined.

  3. Add the butter and the egg yolk. Pulse until the dough clings to the blade.

  4. Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.  

  5. Roll out the dough between 2 lightly floured sheets of wax paper to a square shape. Peel off the top sheet of wax paper and drape the dough very loosely over the rolling pin and unfold into the pan.    

  6. Pat dough gently into the sides of the pan making sure that there is a little raised rim (the dough is very malleable. Do not worry if the dough cracks, you can fix it in the pan with your fingers). Prick the bottom of the crust in several rows with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.   

  7. Preheat the oven to 375F 

  8. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with rice or beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove everything and bake for another 13 minutes, or until the crust is golden.  I like to freeze the prebaked shell and fill it as needed. 

TO MAKE THE FILLING:

  1. Peel, quarter and core the apples.

  2. Cut each quarter into 5 wedges.

  3. Arrange the apples on the dough in three very tight rows. 

TO MAKE THE GLAZE:

  1. In a small pan heat the butter, almond extract and apricot preserve.

  2. Brush the glaze over the apples and sprinkle the almonds on top.

  3. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the apples are soft, but not falling apart.   

  4. Serve warm.

 
 

Pear Cobbler

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Makes 6 servings. 

I make this dessert, which is both gluten free and easy to make, in the winter when pears are at their best.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 5 tablespoons pareve chilled margarine or butter cut into ½ inch cubes, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing the ramekins.

  • ¾ cup ground almond flour with skin (See Note)

  • ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • ½ cup blanched sliced almonds

  • 3 medium-ripe Bosc pears

  • Zest of 1 lemon

  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F. 

  2. Grease six ½ cup ramekins with 1 tablespoon of the margarine/butter and place on a cookie sheet.

  3.  In a large bowl combine almond flour, the rolled oats, sugar and almonds.

  4. Add the margarine/butter and mash with a fork to a coarse texture. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

  5. Peel, core and cut the pears into small cubes.  Place the fruit in a medium bowl and toss with the lemon zest and lemon juice. 

  6. Spread the fruit in the bottom of the ramekins and spread the crumble over the fruit. Cover with cling wrap.  You can do this step ahead of time and bake it straight from the refrigerator.  

  7. Bake the cobbler for about 20 minutes, the topping should be light brown. Serve warm.

NOTE:

I use Bob’s Red Mill ground, not blanched almond flour.

 
 

Plum Cobbler

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Makes 6 servings.

This is a delicious, gluten free dessert, which I serve from oven to table. My favorite fruit for this cobbler are the large Italian plums. Unfortunately they only appear late in the season so I often use regular plums. To make this dish more special, you can serve it with sorbet or ice cream depending whether you use margarine or butter. Also you can make this dessert in individual ramekins.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted margarine/butter chilled and cut into ½ inch cubes, plus ½ tablespoon for greasing the flan dish 
  • 1 cup ground almond flour with skin (See Note)
  • 1/3 generous cup sugar
  • ¾ cup blanched almonds, 3 ounces, sliced or chopped
  • 6 red plums or 8 -10 large Italian plums
  • 1 tablespoon cognac or fruit-flavored brandy

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
  2. Grease a 10 by 1½ inch ceramic or glass flan dish.
  3. Combine the almond flour, sugar and almonds in a large bowl. Add the margarine or butter and rub with your hands until the mixture is combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  4. Rinse the plums, pit them and cut into ½ inch pieces. Place the fruit in a bowl and toss with the liqueur of your choice.
  5. Spread the fruit in the bottom of the dish. Top evenly with the almond crumble.
  6. Bake the cobbler until the topping is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.
  7. This cobbler can be assembled a few hours in advance, refrigerated and baked straight from the refrigerator.

NOTE:

I use Bob’s Red Mill almond flour with skin. It is readily available in all health food stores. It is simply unbleached almonds ground to a flour texture. Once opened, I keep mine in the freezer to have on hand.