If you clicked the link thinking fennel in a dessert was a farce, well I’m sorry to disappoint, but this really is a fennel and apple crumble with a whole bulb of fennel mixed with some apples, caramelized with some coconut oil and then topped with an almond and smoked almond crumble and browned. It’s real and it’s vegan and gluten free to boot.

This past weekend was spent in Austria on a whirlwind trip to the quaint city of Salzburg. The getting up early and catching a train in time to get through security before boarding at 6.30am on a Saturday may have been too much if I was working. Though my last contract ended a few weeks ago and here I am still in my pajamas on a Tuesday morning.

Anyway, sometimes going somewhere can leave expectations. A movie here and a few stories from friends there and you begin to shape an idea of what a place will be like. For some reason Austria was never one of those ‘must visit’ places and quite frankly I have seen enough cathedrals and castles for my liking. I’m more a new world kind of person and I had never heard anything outstanding about Austria. It’s just another country in Europe for all I knew.

Coming into land in Salzburg made me aware I had never much paid attention to the mountain scenes of the Sound of Music because the snow capped mountains that went as far as I eye could see and it was breathtaking and I was suddenly very wrong with my opinion on this country. Landing with cloud’s hovering over the closer hills that want to grow up and be mountains surrounding the town left me enamored and somehow the link between rugged nature and old history is perfectly mixed.

Between eating apple strudel and an afternoon tour, my time in Austria was something like 25 hours which I discovered is too short for this place with all it’s natural beauty. I must go back and I fully intend to spend more time there to enjoy it’s history and nature more for myself.

Apples seem to be a theme in my kitchen lately, there have been bags of them and every bite of apples is something I have enjoyed. Apple crumble has long been a favorite of mine at this time of year, but lately I have become addicted to smoked almonds. Have you had smoked almonds before? If not, there is something truly addictive about them. I can’t even put my finger on it and you likely would think I’m crazy, like I did my dad who got himself into the smoked almonds habit for a little while a few years ago. I think I may have even rolled my eyes at him and the three bags of smoked almonds he put in his shopping trolley while telling me “they’re so good.”

He’s right, they are good and no word of a lie, I have googled how to make my own as sometimes it can be hard to find them here in London. Needless to say, fennel is an ingredient that goes well with apples and the smoked almond topping of this crumble made me admit that this is pretty tasty and my dad would likely agree.

Fennel and Apple Crumble Notes

The anise flavor in fennel is a really beautiful flavor alongside the apples, though if you really can’t stand it, this would work well without or even subbing the apples for pears would be great here.

If you are allergic to nuts, you could easily make a standard crumble topping here with plain flour or gluten free flour and a pinch of smoked salt (if you have that on hand) would add a subtle depth to the crumble.

Fennel and Apple Crumble
Recipe by Roamingtaste
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 fennel, white part only, quartered and finely sliced
3 medium apples, peeled, cored, halved and finely sliced
Topping
3/4 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup smoked almonds, finely chopped
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, soft

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350F.

Heat the coconut oil on low heat, add in the brown sugar and fennel, stirring every 2 minutes to evenly caramelize, approximately 8 minutes.

Add the apples and continue cooking, stirring to soften the apples up a little, cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to evenly cook through.

Place the apple and fennel mixture into your baking dish and spread out evenly.

Meanwhile, place the ground almonds, smoked almonds, brown sugar and coconut oil in a bowl. Stir through until the mixture begins to resemble breadcrumbs.

Spoon the mixture over the top of the apple and fennel, spreading out to cover completely and evenly.

Bake for 45 minutes or until browned, remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Serve with vegan custard or pouring cream, if not vegan.

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