Gluten free and vegan plum crumble recipe

Learn how to make this easy, additive free, seasonal gluten free plum crumble.

If you’re looking for a gorgeous, seasonal pudding recipe that is also naturally gluten free and vegan then we’ve got a proper treat in store.

This versatile pudding is the perfect antidote to the shortening and chillier evenings. Serve it warm from the oven with a generous dollop of vegan ice cream whilst catching up on ‘Escape to the Chateau’ or maybe some cheeky Midsomer Murders-.What could be cosier as the evenings draw in?

Plums are in season here in the UK from mid August through to early October. According to Xanthe Clay in the Telegraph British plums are the most flavoursome for eating and baking. I would concur with this judging by how quickly we pick and devour our plums at home! We’re lucky here at Naish Farm, Honeybuns HQ, to have half a dozen old Victoria Plum trees which still crop generously each year. Farm shops and local village stores often have plums for sale in season. Blackberries, apples and pears would all work instead if you prefer, though personally I think plums really hit the spot in this particular recipe.

I’ve adapted our original apple crumble recipe from the Honeybuns gluten free baking book to be dairy free and vegan. I also show you how to make this nut free too. You’ll find easy pointers in the ingredients section about this.

As vegan and gluten free baking recipes go, this is incredibly easy and quick to assemble. It’s the perfect pudding to put together whilst your (vegan) Sunday lunch is cooking away in the oven. One thing to stick to though- this is definitely a pudding best eaten warmed through rather than cold.

Have a look through the FAQs below before you get started for helpful hints and tips.

How quick and easy is this vegan fruit crumble recipe to make?

To pre cook your plums it will take 20 minutes. To then make the crumble topping it will be 5 minutes tops plus another 20 minutes of baking time. All you need to do is weigh out ingredients, chop a few plums, roughly hand mix the crumble and the rest of it is oven time.

What is special about this gluten free and vegan pudding recipe?

It makes the best of our British orchard produce. From environmental and health angles it really is good to eat seasonally where we can, thus avoiding imported fruit and veg.
By pre cooking the plums with star anise, this humble crumble morphs into a bit of a ‘wow’ pudding in terms of flavour. You’ll also avoid any hard pits of fruit by softening them up fully before baking.
The recipe is super versatile. I’ve popped swapsie suggestions in brackets to help you get the most out of your store cupboard. Hopefully you won’t have to buy too many things in to make this beauty.

How best do I serve this fruit crumble tray bake?

This ‘cosy evenings’ pud is definitely best served warm from the oven with a dairy free, vegan ice cream and/or a home made fruit coulis. Or try our rose hip syrup recipe which you can drizzle over.

You can always keep it in the fridge ready to the re heat. This way you’ll benefit from the flavours really developing before you re heat it – much like reheating a curry from the night before (or is this just me?).

Is this gluten free plum crumble recipe healthy?

I do aim to be honest in this section. There’s no denying the relatively high levels of sugar and fat in this recipe. However, this is somewhat mitigated by the nutritional profile of the fruit, nuts and seeds which deliver fibre, vitamins and ‘good’ oils. With some shop bought vegan and gluten free desserts and cakes the ingredients list can be mind boggling; with lots of unrecognisable ingredients listed. With this home made recipe the ingredients are store cupboard staples or easily obtainable.

I’ve kept the added sugar content to a minimum too – you can always sprinkle some sugar over the baked crumble if you find it overly tart. Nutritionally, plums are, according to the excellent www.nutrition-and-you.com, rich in ‘dietary fiber, sorbitol, and isatin’ and these ‘have been found to help regulate the smooth digestive system functioning, and thereby, help relieve constipation problems.’ So granny was right – prune juice really does keep help you regular.

Can I substitute ingredients to make it a nut free recipe?

Absolutely. I’ve listed swapsie ideas for baking nut free in brackets in the ingredients section. We love subbing in milled seeds instead of using ground nuts. Seeds, like nuts, benefit from natural oils which help to avoid dry cakes and bakes.

You can always substitute the plums for any kind of fruit you have to hand. Using frozen and dried fruit or even fruit jellies and jams is fine too.

If you’re not a fan of the aniseedy flavour of star anise then you can replace with a cinnamon stick or two.

How long will my gluten free and vegan plum crumble last for?

Not long! As I’ve already mentioned, this really needs eating straight from the oven. Have your vegan ice cream or custard plus spoons at the ready and watch it disappear.

Once cooled completely then you can freeze your crumble for 3 months. Why not make several in a batch to make the most of your oven time?

What kit will I need for this super easy recipe?

Oven proof dish. We used a round dish measuring 18cm diameter, 6cm deep, a tray bake tin would work too but you need it to be a minimum of 4cm deep.
Saucepan
Mixing bowl

How many yummy portions will I get?

You will get 4 generous farmer’s portions. Maybe 6 smaller portions.

What ingredients do I need to make this vegan and gluten free dessert recipe?

For the pre cooked plums:

600g chopped up plums (or any fruit you fancy. I was low on plums so I did a 50-50 spilt of plums and apples)
200ml fruit juice (I used prune juice and it was delicious. Apple, cherry or blackcurrant would all be fab I think)
3 flowers of star anise (or cinnamon sticks or a vanilla pod)

For the crumble:

100g almonds, toasted and chopped (or use toasted and chopped seeds. Sunflower ,pumpkin and linseed are ideal if baking nut free)
60g ground almonds (or use milled seeds. As we often say, Linwoods milled sunflower, pumpkin and flax mixture is great)
100g sugar (I used light Muscovado. Remember the darker the sugar the more intense the caramel/toffee flavour will be. Try coconut, Muscovado or Demerara).
90g polenta (or any plain gluten free flour)
85g dairy free and vegan margarine (we used the Pure brand) chilled and cubed.

How to make your gluten free and vegan plum crumble pudding

Pre heat your oven to 160°C.
Put your chopped plums (or other fruit) in a saucepan with the star anise and the fruit juice. Pop onto a medium heat for 20 minutes. In this time the fruit will soften but it will not turn to mush.
Place all the crumble ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir around with a spoon or fork. Then, using your fingertips, rub the margarine into the dry ingredients until you get a chunkier version of breadcrumbs – you want clumpier bits in the mix. The more rustic the better. This rubbing in stage will take 3-4 minutes.
Tip the roasted plum mixture into your oven proof dish and sprinkle the crumble mix over the top. Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden and firm. Devour with lashings of vegan ice cream or custard whilst the pudding is still warm.

TOP TIPS

For extra Oooh La La try adding a splash or three of Somerset Cider Brandy to your roasted plum mixture.
Sprinkle nuts or seeds over the top of your crumble – add them in the last 5 minutes of baking time otherwise they’ll catch and burn.
For a great range of tray bake tins try Harts of Stur – they are our local go to for kitchen kit and are lovely people to boot! Based in Dorset, they are a family run firm employing local people.
If you are too busy to make your own crumble then head over to our online shop where you can fake it by buying our vegan Oaty Coconut slices. You can crumble these up and pop them on your roasted plums – just slide them under a hot grill for 5 minutes. For inspiration check out our Fruity Pimms Crumble recipe with bake along video.
For a festive twist add some gluten free and vegan mincemeat to the plum mixture.

COMMENT BELOW and share what you think about this healthy, natural fruit crumble recipe! And do be sure to share it with a friend. Thanks for reading!

– Emma Goss Custard

If you like this video and recipe, then take a look this alternative e asy gluten free, dairy free & vegan fruit crumble recipe.

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