raw vegan desserts: apple & berry crumble

Yes, what a wonderful weekend I've had spending time with my family and eating an abundance of vegan food! After a fun week of celebrating my Mummy Monster's 60th birthday and making her a raw vegan carrot cake (as requested by the birthday girl!) I decided to make a raw vegan apple & berry crumble for the weekend. My family road tripped to my Grandma's house on Saturday with a family friend from Michigan in the USA. Stephanie is here on a teaching exchange and was heaps of fun to hang out with! We toured my Dad's farm in country Victoria before heading to The Butter Factory in Euroa for lunch with my Grandma and cousin, Skye. My Mum always comments on how I get special service and more food when we go out as I always request a vegan meal! Although, this only works in my favour at the places that appreciate wholefoods and fresh produce… no mock meat for me! If you like to eat meat in your meal, go for the real stuff - and by real, I mean no added anything, organic, grass fed and grass finished!

Anyway, my awesome cousin came to stay with me for the weekend, which was an absolute pleasure. I felt like I had a mini-me as she followed me around, wore my trackie pants and ate my food! It's so very satisfying to share meals with someone who is happy to eat my uniquely delicious food. And as always, my parents got in on the taste testing as we all devoured a bountiful piece of my raw, vegan, sugar-free and gluten-free apple & berry crumble for dessert on Saturday night.

Here it is. For you, my friends. Enjoy!

apple & berry crumble

crumble

2 cups activated nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts)

1 cup medjool dates, pitted

1/2 cup dried shredded coconut

dried desiccated coconut, to garnish

filling

4 apples, cored & thinly sliced

1/2 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen

1 apple, cored

1/2 cup prunes, pitted & soaked 

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp sea salt

juice of a lemon

Start by soaking the prunes in filtered water for 2 to 4 hours. Blend the cored apple, prunes, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, sea salt and lemon juice in a high-powered blender (use a Tbsp or more of the prune soak water to get the blades moving) and pour into a bowl. Toss well with the thinly sliced apples and mixed berries. Place the filling evenly in a baking dish and set aside. In a food processor or a high-powered blender, process the activated nuts until finely ground. Next, process with the dates and the dried shredded coconut until roughly combined. Crumble the topping mixture evenly over the filling and finish by sprinkling the dried desiccated coconut over the crumble. Dehydrate at 40 degrees Celcius or place in an oven on the lowest setting with the door ajar for 2 to 4 hours. Garnish the dish with mint leaves and serve with your choice of coconut ice-cream and a drizzle of pure maple syrup. Serves 4.