When the Jewish New Year comes around, it’s common to find apple cake or honey cake on many Ashkenazi tables, since both honey and apple are common ingredients for Rosh Hashanah dishes. But neither of these desserts really excites me. Fruit crumbles are my go-to dessert all year long for a few reasons: they are easy, they come together quickly, and I almost always have some overripe fruit sitting in my fridge or freezer that will be perfect transformed into this comforting dessert.
Apples are a traditional ingredient enjoyed for the Jewish New Year by Eastern European Jews. But since the Jewish New Year can often occur at the end of summer, this could be made with peaches, plums, berries, or any combination of fruit that you love. Tahini and Yemenite hawaij coffee spice blend will add a little extra something special if you are inclined. You can also make your own.
This recipe is excerpted with permission from “Modern Jewish Comfort Food” by Shannon Sarna, 2022 by Countryman Press.
Apple Tahini Crumble
Crumbles are a perfect summer dessert, and adding tahini gives a refreshing spin on this classic.
- Total Time: 1 hour-1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6-8
Ingredients
- cooking spray for baking dish
For the fruit layer:
- 7–8 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped into approximately 1-inch pieces (around 6 cups of chopped apples)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice or Hawaij Coffee Spice Blend (recipe follows)
- juice of ½ lemon
For the crumble topping:
- 1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup tahini
For the Hawaij Coffee Spice Blend:
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cloves
For serving (optional):
- vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream
- crumbled halva pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-11-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Make the fruit layer: Combine the apples, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and lemon juice in a large bowl.
- Make the crumble: In a separate bowl, combine all the crumble ingredients, using a wooden spoon, until evenly mixed but there are still clumps.
- Pour the apple mixture in an even layer into the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly on top of the apples until they are almost entirely covered.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes, until the apple mixture is bubbling and the crumble is golden brown. If the crumbs seem to be getting too dark, you can cover the dish with foil.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream and an extra sprinkle of halva, if desired.
- For the Hawaij coffee spice blend, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
The Hawaij Coffee Spice Blend recipe yields ¼ cup. Store in an airtight container.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Holiday
The Nosher celebrates the traditions and recipes that have brought Jews together for centuries. Donate today to keep The Nosher’s stories and recipes accessible to all.
Omg!! This sounds totally out of sight fabulous. I will make this for Rosh hashana or break fast!
Oh good! Hope you enjoy it!