What's For Dessert: Gluten-Free Stone Fruit Crumble

A variety of stone fruits have appeared in our local natural foods store of late, so last week I picked up a menagerie of donut peaches (alas, so named for their donut-like squat appearance, not because they particularly taste like donuts...), nectarines, and plums. 

Rather than let the stone fruit languish on my countertop (as, alas, I am often wont to do...), fortuitously, I happened upon an intriguing gluten-free "flourless anything crumble" recipe in a recent issue of Self magazine. The recipe originates from Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook (It's All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great, co-authored with Julia Turshen). I have long been a fan of Paltrow's (Emma, Sliding Doors, and Shakespeare in Love are among my favorite movies -- apparently I am a fan of her British roles) -- so I was interested to read about her new endeavors. Sure, goop can be a bit ridiculous, but I think that just makes her all-the-more endearing. But, enough of my fan-girling; let's get back to the recipe.

I am still playing around with gluten-free recipes 'round these parts (though I haven't forsaken my dear wheat flour ... case in point, I made a batch of all-purpose flour buttermilk pancakes yesterday morning for breakfast), so, given the versatility of this crumble recipe and the fruit I had on hand, I had everything I needed to give it a whirl.

The mixture of almond meal and quinoa flakes gives this crumble plenty of "crunch" and the addition of spices and sweetener in the form of maple syrup provides this dessert with plenty of sweetness and flavor depth. I opted to make my dessert a bit more indulgent with the addition of a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, but you could easily omit this addition (or choose a vegan ice cream) to keep this dessert animal-product free.

Gluten-Free Stone Fruit Crumble (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

2 cups chopped/sliced fruit (I used a mixture of donut peaches, plums, and golden nectarines)
4 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a baking dish, add together the sliced/chopped fruit, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Stir to combine.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together the almond meal, quinoa flakes, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, olive oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup. 

4. Crumble the almond mixture over the fruit, topping it evenly.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crumble is browned and the fruit is bubbling.

6. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. If you're feeling extra indulgent (and perhaps thinking that this dessert sounds a tad too healthy...), de-veganize by topping with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

(adapted from this Self/Gwyneth Paltrow recipe)