When a vegan dessert is easy and impressive there is no reason not to make it all summer long. This Mixed Berry Crumble Pie is full of all the best summer fruits.
This post was originally written in 2013. I've updated with new photos and more information including step by step photos. You can see a photo from the original post after the recipe.
This is the dessert to make when the summer berries are at their best and plentiful. It's impressive and elegant. Your guest will think you slaved all day or that you are some sort of master baker... when really you just threw this together. Seriously you did.
This is an easy dessert recipe and one that I would consider totally virtuous. It is full of fresh fruit, low in sugar and heavy on whole grains and good for you fat from coconut oil and almonds.
Bonus, the ingredient list is not that long. You will need a bunch of bowls, however. So be prepared and get a couple of small bowls out ahead of time. You will need a food processor or blender for this recipe.
This recipe was adapted and vegan-ized from Eating Well magazine. Eating Well suggests that frozen berries will work just as well as fresh... bookmark this one for later. I'm thinking this will work great for a holiday table, maybe with all raspberries instead of a mix of raspberries and blueberries. If using frozen berries, don't thaw them first.
Start with the crust
The crumble crust is made with almonds, flax seed a whole wheat pastry flour. I've used all-purpose flour as well with fine results. Whole wheat pastry flour gives you just a bit more fiber and whole grain
The crust starts with whole almonds and a bit of sugar.
You can also use a blender for this step.
blitz the almond and sugar together until you get a sand-like crumb texture.
Save ½ cup of this mixture and set it aside.
If you used the blender for the above step I would dump the almond and sugar mixture into a large bowl and proceed by hand. A food processor makes quick work of making the crust.
Add the rest of the crust ingredients - flour, ground flaxseed, and salt. Then with the motor running, then add melted coconut oil, vanilla, and almond extract. At this point, you will still have a crumbly and dry mixture. It will not yet hold together when you press it.
So we add ice water. To make sure the water is nice and cold - I set aside a small bowl with water and a few ice cubes.
Add ice-cold water - 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing the food processor a few times after each addition, you will need 4-5 tablespoons of ice-cold water.
When you have added enough, your mixture will look like this.. it will clump together and will stay together when pressed.
Save about ⅓ cup of this mixture in a small bowl for later.
Take the remaining pastry and dump into a 9-inch tart pan. Ensure to press the dough up the sides to form a side ridge around the edge of the tart. I just use my figures to press the dough into the pan, the bottom of a small mesuring cup works as well.
Next assemble the tart
Remember that little bowl of almonds and sugar you saved earlier? Well now you need that. Take that plus two tablespoons of flour and toss it withe berries.
gently coat the berries in the almond, sugar and flour mixture
Dump the berries into the prepared tart shell
take the reserved pastry dough and break into little pieces and scatter over the top of the tart
Then bake! Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, then reduce the heat of the oven to 350 degrees and continue to bak for another 45 minutes.
Serve this tart still warm or at room temperature. Since the berries are juicy, I wouldn't make this too far in advance as the crust could get soggy. Perfect if made the same day as serving.
FAQs
Use all-purpose flour instead. Pastry flour is a bit lighter in texture and makes for a flaker crust. I would not use regular whole wheat flour. It is too heavy.
Yes you can! I love making this tart with fresh summer berries but frozen will work as well and will allow you to make this tart any time of the year. If using frozen berries do not thaw them first.
One of the great things about this tart is that is relatively small so if you are having a small gathering you won't have much leftover.
But if you do have a piece of two, I find leftovers are good for no more than 3 days if kept covered and at room temperature. The crust starts to soften the longer it sits.
Not really. The coconut oil will keep this tart vegan and because it is solid at room temperature will help hold the crust together. Other oils will not have the same result.
Vegan Mixed Berry Crumble Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole almonds (skins on)
- 6 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups whole wheat cake and pastry flour or all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons ground flax seed
- 4-5 tablespoons cold water added one at a time, only as much as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
- 4 ½ cups fresh or frozen not thawed raspberries and blueberries (about 2 pints)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Spray 9-inch a tart pan with a removable-bottom with cooking spray.
- Combine almonds and sugar in a food processor; pulse until the almonds are finely ground and incorporated with the sugar. Set aside ½ cup of the mixture in a small bowl.
- To the remaining mixture in the processor, add 1-⅓ cups flour and salt and pulse briefly to blend. With the motor running, add coconut oil a bit at a time until well incorporated.
- Pulse in ground flaxseed, vanilla, and almond extract. Now add ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing several times after each addition, until the mixture begins to clump and form a dough. The mixture will look like crumbly sand. Don't add more water than you need. You may not need all 5 tablespoons. Set aside ⅓ cup of the mixture for the topping.
- Press the remaining mixture into the tart pan and spreading evenly and firmly into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons flour to the reserved almond and sugar mixture; stir to blend.
- Gently toss the berries with this mixture (almonds, sugar and flour) in a medium bowl until coated. Spread the berries evenly in the tart pan.
- Pinch the reserved dough into small clumps to make crumbs and sprinkle on top of the berries.
- Bake the tart for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° and bake until the crust and crumbs are golden brown, about 45 minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
More fresh berry dessert recipes you might want to try:
- Strawberry Crumb bars
- Blueberry Basil Coffeecake with Walnuts
- Raspberry Crumb Bars {vegan, gluten-free}
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