Ginger Apple Crumble with Salted Honey Caramel.
A sweet and spiced crumble for the end of Fall and thanks-giving food rituals.
Every time I bite into an apple I’m reminded how absolutely magical these sweet, crunchy, juicy fruits of the Earth are. Which grow and drop from the trees on the land; which began as a seed, that became a tree, that grew a flower, that became the fruit with these dream-seeds inside. We call them dream-seeds because each and every seed carries the dreams of the plant it came from, its DNA, its wisdom, its spirit. And so, just by eating an apple we are transported into a visceral experience of the life, death, rebirth cycle of existence.
Yes, it’s definitely that time of year. The time where we let things go back to the Earth and we give thanks to our ancestors whose lives created our very being, whose gifts and sacrifices gave us life. Rituals in this season feel richer to me, going back to the root, the body, the true home. Eating warming, soul-nourishing food. Lighting candles and watching the glow of the flame. Taking a walk each day at dusk. Sipping tea in front of the fire.
I made this apple crumble during Samhain as an offering to my grandmothers and their many well-loved apple inspired desserts. Although I never got the chance to try their baking myself, I have heard many stories of stewed apples and custard, how it was often the perfect food for an upset stomach or providing needed comfort for a heavy heart.
Healing elements:
Steeped in magic and tradition, apples are one of our oldest well-known food medicines — “an apple a day…” — and for good reason. Apples contain pectin, which has been shown to draw out toxins including heavy metals from the system, and flavonoids, which may be beneficial to protect against stroke and elevated blood pressure. Used traditionally as a digestive and liver tonic, as well as the helpful laxative effect, apples are truly a gift from the earth and full of health when eaten both cooked or raw, although it’s good to note that eaten cooked will be easiest to digest and eaten raw will help keep teeth & gums healthy. Tip: don’t peel your apples — much of the valuable nutrients are the skin or just below the surface!
Ginger is a beloved warming root, as medicinal as it is delicious. I love ginger in sweets and it feels so much like an old treat our grandparents loved. Moving into a season when we’re more susceptible to the cold & flu, it’s a good reminder to eat and drink all the ginger you can! Acting as a stronger pain-reliever than ibuprofen, it is also antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and a wonderful synergist, increasing circulation to move the medicine throughout the body.
Cinnamon is another amazing warming herb, know as a powerful blood sugar stabilizer. Stable blood sugar means more stable energy, also offering balance to cravings and increased mental clarity. As a renowned spice throughout the ages, it is used to boost circulation, stimulate digestion and enable bioavailability of other foods and medicine for optimal absorption. My tip is to use more cinnamon than you typically would to glean these medicinal benefits — increase that little sprinkle up to 1 or two teaspoons a day!
Apple Crumble Recipe:
4 organic apples
1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup whole oats
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup maple syrup/agave nectar/honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp cinnamon (1 for crumble, 1 on sliced apples)
2–3 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
1/2 tsp ground ginger powder
How to make the apple crumble:
Chop apples into half moons or chunks (however you prefer), mix in a large bowl with half of the cinnamon and all of the ginger, then transfer to a medium baking dish. Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl. Separately mix maple syrup (or whichever liquid sweetener you choose), vanilla essence and melted coconut oil in another bowl until combined, then pour onto dry ingredients and stir through. Pack crumble topping over apples and bake for 45-50 minutes at 350F/180C.
Salted Honey Caramel Recipe:
1/2 cup raw local honey
1/2 cup coconut cream (tip: put your can of coconut milk in the fridge for a few hours then open upside down to pour off the liquid which leaves all the cream)
1/2 tsp sea salt
How to make the salted caramel:
In a heavy saucepan, gently heat the coconut cream, stirring continually until it reaches a low simmer. Add honey and salt, continuing to stir and combine the mixture on low heat for 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit until it reaches room temperature, then transfer to a mason jar and store in fridge or freezer to help it remain thick and creamy.
Being mindful of Ayurvedic traditions, I typically don’t heat honey with the understanding that cooking honey causes loss of antioxidants and precious medicinal qualities, and may contribute to “ama” in the body, a condition of mucus that is brought on by inflammation and toxicity. With this being said, I think it is absolutely okay and up to you to heat the honey for this one-off salted caramel indulgence! In any case, it’s better than caramel made with white refined sugar… I’m also playing with more caramel recipes so stay tuned!
Serve apple crumble with coconut whipped cream or your favorite plant-based ice cream, drizzled with this divine salted honey caramel and a steaming pot of herbal tea on the side… Heaven.
With gratitude to the plants and spirit.
1:1 herbal wellness consultation and recipe formulation — for more details please email romanypope@gmail.com.
