Strawberry Vanilla Crumble Pie (Gluten Free)

Strawberry Time! 

 

 A few days ago I went strawberry picking for the very first time.  The adults picked as much as we could while the kids played wagon races and ate as much as they picked.  The sun was out and there was ice-cream for everyone when we finished. If you have never gone berry picking before I highly recommend it.  What a great day.  And best of all we had loads of berries to eat.  So when I got home I created this little number.  I call it Strawberry Vanilla Crumble Pie.

With a name like Crumble Pie you can guess what the crust does.  You got it, crumble city.  But it just doesn’t matter because it tastes so dang good.  I had never made this crust before but it is the perfect flavour to balance out the vanilla filling and the fresh strawberries. I got the recipe from the fabulous book Paleo Comfort Foods.  It's gluten-free, made with almonds and pecans.  You really need the pecans for this. They make all the difference in the finished product. The filling is a sweet vanilla custard and the topping is simple, straight up, fresh strawberries. 

This combination can easily be re-imagined in a parfait glass with the crust sprinkled on top.  Or to be honest, you could just throw it all in a bowl and wolf it down that way.  It might not look pretty but it will still taste heavenly.

 

 

Strawberry Vanilla Crumble Pie

Ingredients

Crust/Topping

• 1 ¼ - 1 ½ cups almond flour
• ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
• Pinch sea salt
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla

Filling

• 3/4 cup cane sugar  
• 2 1/2 TBSP organic cornstarch  
• 1/4 tsp salt  
• 2 cups milk, scalding hot  
• 2   eggs well beaten  
• 1  tsp vanilla  

Topping

• 2-3 cups of organic strawberries sliced or just cut in two

 

Directions

Crust/Topping

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine the almond flour, pecans and salt in large bowl.
3. In a small bowl combine the oil and vanilla.
4. Add wet ingredient to the dry until completely combined.  Use your fingers to press ‘dough’ into a pie pan.
5. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Set on a baking rack to cool completely.  If using for parfait you can break it apart once it is cooled.

Filling

1. Mix the sugar, flour and salt together in a double boiler and gradually add the hot milk, stirring constantly.
2. Cook until the mixture thickens.
3. Pour a small amount over the eggs and mix thoroughly; add back into the first mixture and cook for two more minutes.
4. Remove from heat and cool; add vanilla.

Assemble

For a Crumble Pie: Fill the crust with the vanilla custard, place the strawberries on top. Be amazed by the beauty of what you have just created.

For a Parfait:  Fill parfait glasses with 1/3 vanilla custard, 1/3 strawberries and top it all off with the crumbled pie crust.

 

 

 

Stay tuned for my adventures in pectin free jam making,

Strawberry Fruitsicles and Homemade Fudgesicles!