Salted Caramel Apple Crumble

I've been trying to go a bit more seasonal with my food lately, and since we're in the cold months here, what could be more seasonal than apples?

I sent my housemate and myself on a quest to find the most appealing apple dishes to make, and we found a lot of things; caramel apples, baked apples, apple pies, apple cobblers, apple cheesecake, apple bars, apple cakes, ginger ale, ginger pop, ginger beer, beer bubbles, bubbleade, bubblecola, double cola, double-bubble-burple-cola, okay I'll stop quoting Wonka now, but you get the picture. ;P

Strangely enough, we couldn't actually find a recipe which reflected exactly what we wanted; something hot, gooey, rich, and flowing with rivers of fudgy caramel. So, I just decided to invent one. 

Now, I'm sure there's recipes for salted caramel apple crumble around, but I couldn't find any that did it like this one and were also vegan.

You're in for a teat, oh, and did I mention that it's a lot healthier than a normal crumble? It's got so much coconut in it, it's practically good for you! ;P

Salted Caramel Apple Crumble 

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients: 

For caramel sauce:

• 1 can of full-fat coconut milk (400ml)
• 1/2 cup of coconut sugar (or brown sugar if you prefer)
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt (it would be best to slowly as this in and taste as you go. You may find that you don't want it that salty, or you may want it even saltier).
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla (I use vanilla paste)
• 2 tablespoons of vegan butter (I use Nuttelex) 

Optional: 

• Cornflour (if you want your sauce a bit thicker quickly) 

For crumble:

• 1 cup of all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
• 2/3 cup of coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 3 tablespoons of vegan butter
• 3 tablespoons of coconut oil (or you can just use 3 more of the butter)

For apples:

• 4-6 small, granny smith apples
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons of vegan butter
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt

Prep time: 15-20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes 

Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) then start making the caramel sauce. 

In a small-medium sized saucepan mix the sugar and butter until it has melted. Bring this to a boil then pour the coconut milk in slowly, stirring as you go, then add the salt and vanilla to the mix.

Let that boil away, without a lid, on a medium heat for 15 minutes to thicken (you may need to stir it occasionally). While the sauce is thickening, you can cut the apples into wedges. Once they've been cut, put the lemon juice and butter in a large frying pan, on a medium heat, then add the apples once the butter has melted. Cook the apples for 2-3 minutes, then add the salt (which will help the apples let out their moisture). Turn the heat down to medium-low, and let them simmer away while the sauce is thickening. 

As they are cooking you can make the crumble topping. 

Put the dry ingredients for the crumble in a large mixing bowl, then add the butter and coconut oil. 

Mix the ingredients together (preferably with your hands), until they become soft, buttery cookie crumbs. 

Once the 15 minutes are up the sauce should be thickened, but if you want it thicker then add a little cornflour to help it. 

Pour 2/3 of the sauce into the pan with the apples and let it cook for a further 2 minutes until they are properly combined.

Pour the apple mixture into a baking dish of choice, and tap down lightly with the back of a spoon, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top. Put it into the oven for 20 minutes.

When you take it out the crumble mix should have puffed slightly. Serve immediately for best results (although it's still delicious if you want to refrigerate it and heat it up again later).

You can top it with vegan whipped cream and the remaining caramel sauce.

Tell me if you liked this one. ^_^ I know it did!

xo.

Moonlight