BOSH's salted caramel apple crumble and vegan custard

Thursday 5 March at 3:08pm

It’s sweet, satisfying and simply delicious! The classic apple crumble is the ultimate comfort dessert but imagine if it was good for you... well, today BOSH are back in the kitchen with their healthy version of the British classic topped off with vegan custard, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to discover!

INGREDIENTS:

For the topping:

1 ripe medium / large banana

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

3 tbsp maple syrup

50g pecans

100g rolled oats

100g wholemeal flour

Pinch of salt

For the filling:

100g medjool dates

120ml boiling water

1⁄2 tsp flaky salt

800g apples

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp water

1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the custard:

2 tbsp cornflour

1 tbsp water

500ml unsweetened plant-based milk

Small pinch of ground turmeric

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
First, make the crumble topping. Peel the banana, and then mash it in a bowl (you can use the back of a fork). Then add the cinnamon, oil and maple syrup and stir to combine.
Roughly chop the pecans and then add to the mixture, along with the oats, flour and salt. Fold to combine, using your fingers to give a varied texture.
Now for the filling, start by preparing the caramel. Pit the dates, then put them into a food processor with the boiling water and salt. Pulse until you have a smooth caramel and then leave aside.
Take your apples, and core, peel and thinly slice them. Once this is done, put the apples in a large saucepan with the maple syrup and toss to coat. Then add the water and cinnamon into the pan, and put it on the hob over a medium heat and simmer for 8–10 minutes. Stir occasionally to help the apples soften evenly.
Take your caramel and add it into the pan and fold into the apples.
Pour the apple filling into a baking dish, and then sprinkle over the crumble topping. Put the dish in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the crumble is crispy and golden.
While the crumble is baking, make the custard. Put cornflour and water in a small jug and stir to form a paste. Add half the milk and the turmeric to the jug and stir to combine.
Warm the remaining milk in a medium saucepan over a medium heat, stirring continuously until it reaches a gentle simmer. Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract to the pan and stir to combine. Gently pour the rest of the milk into the pan, whisking constantly, and cook for 5–7 minutes until the custard is thick and smooth. Take the pan off the heat and pour the custard into a heatproof serving jug.
Time to serve. Remove the crumble from the oven and serve immediately with the custard.