Toffee Pecan Apple Streusel: Gluten-Free, Egg-Free

(Easily Adaptable to be Dairy-Free and Nut-Free)

Ingredients:

• 4 large apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup organic palm, or coconut sugar (or white granulated sugar)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 1/4 cup Toffee bits, such as Heath Toffee Bits (not the milk chocolate covered ones), which are gluten-free but NOT Dairy-free or Nut-free.  **FOR DAIRY-FREE AND NUT-FREE alternative, see note at end of directions.
• 1 cup chopped pecans (FOR NUT-FREE: replace pecans with Enjoy Life-Perky’s Crunchy Rice or Crunchy Flax Cereal, or Gluten-Free Corn-flakes)
• 5 Tbsp Gluten-free all purpose flour blend
• 4 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (FOR DAIRY-FREE: use chilled Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks, chilled, OR coconut oil, chilled, OR organic Spectrum Shortening, chilled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl, mix together apples, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon juice.

2.  In food processor, pulse together toffee pieces, pecans (or Nut-Free replacement), gluten-free flour blend, and butter.  Use on-off pulsing until the ingredients are all moist and beginning to clump together.

3.  Place Apple mixture into a well-greased tart or pie plate.  Press Toffee mixture evenly over apple mixture. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until topping is beginning to crisp and bubble slightly.  Watch to make sure it is not browning too much.

4.  Serve with your choice of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream (Dairy or Dairy-Free) or drizzle with your favorite caramel sauce (Dairy or Dairy-Free).

**FOR DAIRY-FREE, NUT-FREE toffee bit alternative: Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.  In HEAVY BOTTOMED saucepan (saucepan is key), over medium-high heat, combine 1 3/4 cups Fleischmann’s Unsalted Margarine, 2 cups white sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp vanilla.  Bring mixture to a very low boil, stirring constantly. Do not let mixture get over 290 degrees. Cook for 8-9  minutes until amber colored and smooth. Pour onto lined baking sheet and refrigerate.  Once hard, break into pieces. Will make more than you need for this recipe.