cherry crisp with cassava flour and shredded coconut crumble topping, oven baked

A crumble topping usually means oats and butter, and both of those sit outside what AIP allows right now. Cassava flour and melted coconut oil do the same structural job here: they hold together into a crumb, then turn gold in the oven. The dough will feel looser and stickier than a butter crumble while you are mixing it, and that is normal, not a sign anything went wrong.

Cherries get their deep red from anthocyanins, plant pigments with antioxidant activity that has been linked to calming oxidative stress, one more piece of the inflammatory picture this way of eating works against. A dessert that is still doing that work while it tastes like a real treat is worth keeping in rotation.

Warm fruit under a golden crumble has been a comfort food long before this recipe existed, and that comfort is still yours here. Let it cool a full 10 minutes before spooning it out. The filling sets as it cools, and the first spoonful holds together instead of running.

Ingredients

Filling

• 4 cups sweet cherries, fresh or frozen (pits removed)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (vanilla powder or alcohol-free extract for strict AIP)
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch

Topping

• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup cassava flour
• 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C / 375F. Grease a 20cm / 8-inch round pie dish or a similarly sized baking dish lightly with coconut oil.

Prepare the filling. If using frozen cherries, thaw them first and drain off any excess liquid. Place the cherries in a bowl and add the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and arrowroot starch. Toss gently until the cherries are evenly coated. Pour into the prepared dish and spread in an even layer.

Make the topping. In a separate bowl, combine the shredded coconut, cassava flour, arrowroot starch, and salt. Stir briefly to distribute. Pour in the melted coconut oil and maple syrup and mix until the mixture comes together as a loose crumble. It should hold when pressed lightly but not form a solid dough.

Assemble and bake. Distribute the crumble topping evenly over the cherry filling. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the topping is golden and the cherry filling is bubbling around the edges.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. The filling will thicken slightly as it cools. Serve warm.

*Adapted from Lichen Paleo Loving AIP (Rebecca Boucher)*