This date sweetened, gluten free & vegan hazelnut apple crumble is all about fall, with an oat and hazelnut topping for sweet in season apples. This easy, healthy crumble can be eaten for breakfast or dessert.
Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F and set aside a baking dish (mine was about 25cm / 10in by 18cm / 7in).
Core and dice the apples and place them into the baking dish. Add the maple syrup and spices, and mix until the apples are coated.
To make the crumble, mix the hazelnut meal, oats, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the dates, coconut oil, and hazelnut butter, and use your hands to mix until a crumble forms.
Top the apples with an even layer of crumble, and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the apples are cooked and the topping is golden. Serve warm with a little nondairy yogurt or ice cream.
Notes
• If the apples you use are very sweet, add the juice of half a lemon to the apple mixture. I suggest using more tart apples if you can. • I either mash dates with a fork if they're soft (less dishes) or blend them up in my food processor. If your dates are too hard, soak them in hot water for 30 minutes beforehand. * I always use fresh nutmeg and grate it with a microplane. If you use pre-ground nutmeg, add 1/4 teaspoon instead. ** Quick cook oats are better here - if you don't have any, just pulse rolled oats a few times in a food processor to chop them up a bit.