Remove from the oven and let cool a bit before serving. You'll need to cut the cobbler with a serving spoon to get all the juices. For optimum presentation, serve each slice into a bowl, then lift the crust to preserve the lattice and spoon more strawberries and juice into the bowl. Don't forget the vegan ice cream!
BERRY-COCONUT CRISP.
SERVES 4.
TIME : LESS THAN AN HOUR.
This warm, fruity dessert topped with a crumbly coconut topping could be easily summarized by that popular bumper sticker "Berries Coconut." Never saw that one? Oh well, at least here's a recipe that's way more fun than reading bumper stickers. Quick to make and not too sweet, this crisp is also gluten free, to boot. If you don't want to make it gluten free, go ahead and substitute cup of flour for the quinoa and rice flours. We used blueberries and raspberries but you can use whatever kind of berries you have on hand.
Topping: cup quinoa flour
cup white rice flour
cup shredded unsweetened coconut
cup sugar
teaspoon ground nutmeg
5 tablespoons cold, nonhydrogenated vegan margarine
Filling: 2 cups frozen blueberries, partially thawed
2 cups frozen raspberries, partially thawed
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
1 tablespoon cold water
cup sugar
teaspoon coconut extract
teaspoon pure vanilla extract
PREHEAT THE oven to 350F.
Prepare the topping: Mix together the flours, coconut, sugar and nutmeg. Add the margarine in small pieces and use a pastry knife to cut the butter into the flours until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.
Prepare the filling: Place the berries, tapioca, and cold water in an 8-inch square baking dish. Mix together to dissolve the tapioca. Add the sugar and extracts; mix to combine. Sprinkle the topping over the berries. Bake for 45 minutes; the filling should be bubbly and yummy looking.
Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Serve in bowls with scoops of vegan vanilla ice cream.
STRAWBERRY-PLUM CRISP.
SERVES 6.
TIME : ABOUT AN HOUR.
Who ever thought that strawberries and plums could be such good buddies in this heavenly crisp? Tart, sweet, juicy plums are the star here, with a few strawberries in a supporting role. The oat topping is spiked with licorice-y aniseeds. A scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream (page 260) on top would be pretty awesome right about now, wouldn't it? Serve on a summer's night when plums and strawberries are in abundance.
Filling: 2 pounds black plums (about 10)
1 cup strawberries, hulled, sliced in half
1 tablespoon tapioca flour or arrowroot powder
cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
teaspoon ground cinnamon
teaspoon ground ginger
teaspoon ground cloves
Topping: cup rolled oats
cup all-purpose flour
cup sugar
1 teaspoons aniseeds
teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt