My Favourite Gluten-Free, Vegan Apple Recipes usually involve sugar in some form. I love apples in desserts. Savoury apple sauce is pretty fantastic with a roast but my heart lies with a comforting, sweet, apple-filled desserts. Sometimes (mostly!) apples don’t like me (they’re a high FODMAP food so beware!) but I can’t resist sometimes. I know the consequences! Here are my favourites…
What’s The Deal With Apples Anyway?
Apples are not native to the UK (not much is!) however, apples are thought of as quintessentially British fruit (along with bananas and pineapple but that’s another story). Apples do grown very well in the UK and have adapted to our wonderful climate very well.
Apple trees are huge if grown from seed. However, generally apple cultivars are propagated by grafting onto rootstocks, which control the size of the resulting tree. There are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples, resulting in a range of desired characteristics. Different cultivars are bred for various tastes and uses, including cooking, eating raw and cider production. Trees and fruit are prone to a number of fungal, bacterial and pest problems, which can be controlled by a number of organic and non-organic means.
What the Hey are apples?
The apple tree (Malus pumila) is a deciduous tree in the rose family best known for its sweet, pomaceous fruit, the apple. It is cultivated worldwide as a fruit tree, and is the most widely grown species in the genus Malus.
Origins and spread of apples
The apple tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, Malus sieversii, is still found today. Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe, and were brought to North America by European colonists. Apples have religious and mythological significance in many cultures, including Norse, Greek and European Christian traditions.
The centre of diversity of the genus Malus is in eastern present-day Turkey. The apple tree was perhaps the earliest tree to be cultivated, and its fruits have been improved through selection over thousands of years. Alexander the Great is credited with finding dwarfed apples in Kazakhstan in 328 BC and those he brought back to Macedonia might have been the progenitors of dwarfing root stocks. Essentially, it seems the Romans brought the apple to the UK. It’s not a native fruit.
Apples were introduced to North America by colonists in the 17th century and the first apple orchard on the North American continent was planted in Boston by Reverend William Blaxton in 1625. The only apples native to North America are crab apples.
My Favourite Gluten-Free, Vegan Apple Recipes
Apples are super versatile and can be used in sweet and savoury Gluten-Free, Vegan Apple Recipes galore. These are a few of my favourites. All totally Gluten-Free | Vegan | Allergy-Friendly | Seasonal …and… coconut-free.
1. Apple and Hazelnut Overnight Oats
Let’s start with a healthy breakfast of Apple and Hazelnut Overnight Oats. If you prepare these the night before and whip them out of the fridge when you need them you have the speediest breakfast going. Double up for a family-size recipe.
2. Vegan Toffee Apples
If Vegan Toffee Apples are being made and eaten then it must be October. There is no greater reminder that Halloween and Bonfire Night are just around the corner than Vegan Toffee Apples. Not so great for your teeth but October only comes around once a year…
3. Bramley Apple and Quince Crumble
Bramley Apple and Quince Crumble is sutumn in a bowl. I could eat this every day and not get tired of it. Quince are amazing, slightly tart and great in desserts. If you can’t get quince, don’t worry, just add more apples. Perfect with gluten-free, vegan custard. Just perfect.
4. Apple and Blackberry Cobbler
Apple and Blackberry Cobbler is a great alternative to apple pie or apple crumble. The rich, crumbly cobbler is perfect with vegan cream, ice-cream or custard. The ultimate in puddings!
5. Gluten-Free, Vegan Kimchi
So, if you are looking for an apple recipe you might not think of Gluten-Free, Vegan Kimchi straight away. Apples are a key ingredient in my kimchi. (Traditionally persimmon or similar fruits are used but they are hard to get hold of here are usually not grown here, so not cheap and not sustainable.) This is one of my favourite savoury recipes. Apples are versatile and make everything taste amazing!
What are Your Favourite Gluten-Free, Vegan Apple Recipes
There are lots and lots and lots of great Gluten-Free, Vegan Apple Recipes out there – this is just a tiny selection of ideas. There are lots more…
What are Your Favourite Gluten-Free, Vegan Apple Recipes? Drop a comment below or ping me on social media! 🙂
