Slinky Apples

I got a real bargain at the Farmers Markets the other day. Apples for only $1 a kilo. Now that is just too tempting for this thrifty housewife to pass by.

I am more than happy to pay top dollar for top ingredients, but I'm not so silly as to look a gift apple in the mouth!

But what to do with this embarrassment of riches? My family voted for an old favourite, Apple Crumble.

I like quite a nice baked top on my crumbles, not a dry crummy type of thing. I don't want a mouthful of sawdust. Although I suppose that does give you an excuse to use more cream ......

But first, the apples. I do own an apple/potato peeler. I actually own several. But this job called for the big guns - The Slinky Machine. These machines have been around for ages, but are one of those items you only see now and then. We got ours back when littlej was in Kindy, to make eating apples more fun. A whole apple is quite daunting for a littlie, and who has time to peel, and chop, then wrap carefully,etc,etc, in the morning rush? Especially when you know it will look brown and unappetising by little lunch. The apples done by a slinky machine will eventually oxidise, but as they are still stacked together the insides are nice and clear, and the novelty value seems to outweigh the ascetics.

First the apple is positioned on a prong at the end of the turning arm, then you wind the arm forward and it screws the apple past a thingy that takes the peel off and through a sharp ring that magically transforms the fruit into a slinky around an apple core.

Then you remove the core and end up with a neat little pile of peelings and a Slinky Apple! Isn't that precious?


You may now wear the apple as an assortment of fruity bling. Over the ear earring perhaps? A bracelet, a necklace or maybe a series of rings? Needless to say, you will be the envy of all 4 to 6 year olds you come in contact with. Oh, Yeah.

But... back to our crumble...


As the apple is already sliced up, there is no need for chopping. Yay! Just pop it in the pot with spices of choice -I prefer cloves and cinnamon- and cook with some sugar until just nice and soft.
If you prefer you can use Agave nectar, but I like raw sugar. Place in a greased dish, I like a deep one, and smooth the top.

Now, the topping,the Crumble. My family likes this one, which tastes a bit like Anzac Biscuits. I can handle the oats with not too many problems, but if they are an issue for you, you can substitute with rice flakes, quinoa, or just leave them out altogether and cut back the butter and syrup to 2 tablespoons each.

Mix together:

1 cup Instant Oats

1 cup of Shredded Coconut

1/2 cup of Gluten free Flour

3 Tabs of Golden Syrup

3 Tabs of Butter- butter has very little lactose (or Nuttlex)

Rub this through your fingertips until nice and crumbly.

Pop into a 180-200* oven until hot inside and brown outside and just starting to bubble up around the sides of the dish. If you use a lid the crumble will be a bit softer, I don't bother.

Serve with Lactose free cream - I use Liddels
This is very good when cold and wintry outside, to make you warm and cosy on the inside.

Yummm.....

So, Readers, what food makes you warm and cosy on a cold, wintery night?