Gingerbread Crumble: The Scent of Christmas Baking in the Oven
Ingredients for approx. 10 servings:
- 4 apples (Elstar)
- 125g (1 cup) raisins
- 3-4 tsp gingerbread spice
- 1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
- 400g (3 1/2 cup) almonds
- 4cl (1.1.35 fl oz → ~3 tbsp) water
- 4-5 tbsp rapeseed oil
- Skyr
- Place the almonds on a baking tray and roast them in a preheated oven at 160–170 °C for about 10–12 minutes, until fragrant.
- Transfer the roasted almonds to a blender and blend for 10–15 minutes until they turn into a fine almond flour.
- Add 4–5 tbsp rapeseed oil, the water, and a pinch of gingerbread spice, then continue blending until the mixture becomes slightly moist and moldable.
- Dice the apples, mix them with the raisins, and season with cinnamon and the remaining gingerbread spice. Spread the mixture evenly in a baking dish.
- Distribute the almond mixture evenly over the apple layer.
- Bake the crumble at 180 °C (top and bottom heat) for about 25–30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.
- Serve warm and optionally enjoy with a spoonful of Skyr.
Sources:
Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft, Ernährung und Ländlichen Raum Schwäbisch Gmünd. (2016). Mandeln-mehr als nur ein gesunder Snack. Source
Lebensmittelsicherheit, P. L. B. L. für G. und. (2024). LGL-Pressemitteilung. Source
Zentrum der Gesundheit. (2025). Mandeln schützen unsere Gesundheit! Zentrum der Gesundheit. Source
The almond (Prunus dulcis) is botanically a drupe, not a true nut, originally from Southwest Asia and today mainly cultivated in the Mediterranean region (e.g., Spain, Morocco). There are sweet, bitter, and Krach almonds: while sweet and Krach almonds can be eaten raw, bitter almonds contain the glycoside amygdalin, which releases toxic cyanide in the body. Tests in Germany in 2023 showed that all tested sweet almonds were safe. Additionally, almond products such as almond liqueur, ground almonds, and marzipan were examined for mold toxins, with only one case showing slightly elevated aflatoxin levels, still below the legal limit (Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft, Ernährung und Ländlichen Raum Schwäbisch Gmünd, 2016; Food Safety, 2024; Center for Health, 2025).