Following on from my previous post for the Kladdkaka (Swedish Sticky Cake) and after promising to make Luca an apple pie this weekend, I decided that it would be a good opportunity to bake another dish off of my ‘to bake/cook list’ on Pinterest and this Swedish Apple Pie just happened to fit Luca’s request.
As I said in the previous recipe for Kladdkaka, Swedish recipes just seem to be naturally far more healthy than other recipes, using great ingredients this Swedish Apple Pie is gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free and 100% whole grain, but has to be one of the most delicious desserts that I have ever had. It also has to be the most simple dessert ever, it isn’t really a pie as such, using what I would say are traditional crumble ingredients, but it isn’t a crumble either! It really is in a league of its own. The topping ingredients bake to a chewy yummy crust and if using coconut sugar like I did you get a lovely golden brown finish.
If you can not make pastry, or just don’t have the time, if you don’t fancy the mess of rubbing butter into sugar to make a crumble topping, this is the dessert for you. A few simple steps and you have the best apple dessert ever.
I say apple, but I think this topping would grace cherries or peaches just as well, a dish I will most definitely be trying in the future. It is also so different from a classic crumble that I think it has enough elegance to be served at a dinner party, you could even bake and serve it in single serving bowls, but due to its simplicity it makes the perfect mid-week pud and a great way to use up any glut of fruit that happens to be in season.
I felt that the spices really made this dish, if they are not to your liking, either leave them out completely, or just use a little less of the ones that you don’t like, or more of the ones that you do like, but the spices really do add to the elegance of this dish and make it a very grown up dessert. Saying that, Luca ate nearly the whole pie, so it is also very child/teenage friendly. Also remember that spices that work well with apples may not work well with other fruit, so just play around with the recipe.
So the verdict to this Swedish Apple Pie was that it is moreish and one of those dishes you just know you will crave and just have to make time and time again. Luca had his with Cornish ice cream, I had mine on its own due to calories/health etc, but it would also be fantastic served with fresh cream or custard, what ever you decide, I am pretty sure that you will love it.
Buon appetito
Serves 8 slices
GF, Vegan, Dairy-free
For the apples:
500g firm baking apples, peeled, cored and chopped to 1/4″ chunks
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon raw sugar or granulated sugar
For the topping:
126g coconut oil, melted
100g raw sugar or granulated sugar (I used coconut sugar)
60ml maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
113g rolled oats (use gluten-free oats, if necessary)
78g oat flour (use gluten-free oat flour, if necessary)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and grease a 9″ pie pan.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the apple chunks, cinnamon, cardamom and sugar.
In another large mixing bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil, sugar, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Add the oats, oat flour, baking powder and salt and stir just until combined.
Spread the apples evenly over the bottom of the prepared pie pan.
Spread the topping over the apples.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the apples are bubbly and the topping is firm.
Serve warm, room temperature or cold.
Cover and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Refrigerate after that.
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