Vegan Mixed Fruit Grunt

This vegan Mixed Fruit Grunt (or fruit slump) recipe can be made with any of your favorite summer fruits. This time, I used a mix of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and sliced peaches. Grunts (and Slumps) are cooked on the stovetop instead of in the oven, making them a perfect dessert for summer. I don’t want to heat up my kitchen on a hot day to bake a pie at 425°F.

COOK Class

I returned home to Philadelphia late on Saturday from the thrilling inaugural Plant-Based World Conference and Expo at New York City’s Javits Center and almost immediately began setting up for Sunday’s dessert demo at the COOK studio.

Guests sipped vegan White Russians and nibbled chocolate crostini, both recipes in Vegan Chocolate, but with a bit of difference. I’ve learned that repurposing the nibs, which are drained from the vodka by toasting them is a great way to make something tasty that would otherwise be wasted. At COOK, these toasted nibs were sprinkled on the chocolate crostini and lightly salted. Try it, but rememeber, they do retain the alcohol.

Mixed Fruit Grunt

The first of the 3 dishes on the class menu was a variation of my popular Slump recipe. This time I made a Mixed Fruit Slump, which I decided to call a Grunt. Why this mix of fruit filling? Some of the raspberries I had were too soft to use on the fudge torte, and the peaches were still hard.  I didn’t have enough blueberries, so I added a half pint of blackberries.

With no oven to heat, a use-what-you-have fruit filling, only 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil, and the original maple syrup eliminated (did I just forget to add it?), this recipe is going into rotation in my kitchen. In fact, I’ll be making it tomorrow for my casual birthday dinner.

This recipe serves 6 to 8 people, but I suggest you go ahead and double it.

We did not get a photo of the Grunt plated with ice cream, but trust me – it was good. In fact, this recipe won people’s choice! I do have a photo to show you of the No-Bake Raspberry Tart that was served. The filling, to which I added 2 tablespoons of raspberry jam is here, and the crust is the almond crust in Vegan Chocolate.

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Mixed Fruit Grunt

This vegan Mixed Fruit Grunt (or fruit slump) recipe can be made with your favorite summer fruits. I like using blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and sliced peaches. It’s made on the stovetop instead of the oven, so it’s the perfect dessert for summer, when you don’t want to heat up your kitchen.

This recipe serves 6 to 8 people, but I suggest you go ahead and double it.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword fruit dessert, fruit grunt, fruit slump, summer dessert, vegan dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Yields 8 servings

Author Fran Costigan

Ingredients

Filling

• 3 1/2 - 4/12 cups fruit: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, sliced peaches
• 1/3 cup maple, coconut sugar, more to taste, depending on sweetness of fruit
• 1/2 cup orange juice (or another fruit juice)
• 1/2 cup water (or an equal amount of fruit juice)

Biscuit Batter

• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour or whole spelt flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or white spelt flour
• 1/4 cup maple sugar, finely ground coconut sugar or vegan cane sugar
• 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 any plant milk except rice milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons mild-tasting extra virgin olive oil or any neutral vegetable oil
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2-3 teaspoons freshly finely grated lemon or orange zest
• Maple syrup and a bit of granulated sugar for finishing the topping (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the filling

1. Combine the fruit and sugar in a 9-inch saucepan, or equivalent, with a tight-fitting lid. The pan should be at least 3 inches deep. Add the orange juice and water and stir to blend. Depending on the sweetness of the fruit being used and your personal preference, the amount of sugar may need to be increased or decreased. Place over medium heat and cook fruit to a full boil, stirring occasionally.
2. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling hot. You can keep it warm and make the topping later.

Make the Biscuit Topping

1. Whisk the flour before measuring to aerate it.
2. Measure the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl. Whisk to sift into the bowl. Whisk again to fully mix dry ingredients.
3. In a separate small bowl, mix plant milk with oil, vanilla, and zest. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir with a spatula, until a soft batter forms.
4. Use two large spoons, one to scoop the batter and the other to push it off the spoon, onto the simmering filling.
5. Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid or piece of aluminum foil and cook over low heat without uncovering for 20-25 minutes, until the topping feels firm to the touch and is slightly darkened. The soft biscuit topping actually steams. Lightly brush the top of the biscuits with maple syrup and/or sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if desired.
6. Serve: Cool for a couple of minutes before scooping some of the biscuit and fruit into each bowl. Add a scoop of a non-dairy ice cream or cream, if desired. I take mine straight!