No-Bake Cashew Crumble

A personal creation I love, as much for its simplicity as for its absolutely delicious flavor and the many possibilities it offers.

We all know the traditional crumble, that crisp topping generally browned in the oven, made from flour, butter and sugar. But why should baking be compulsory to recover that pleasure and that agreeable texture?

That is exactly what I wanted to explore with this recipe.

With only a few ingredients — cashews, plant-based margarine, a little vanilla extract and coconut sugar, or another sugar if you prefer — I managed to create a deliciously crisp, fragrant crumble without having to turn on the oven.

I particularly like using coconut sugar here, because its naturally caramelized notes marry wonderfully with the sweetness of cashews and with vanilla.

And cashews bring real nutritional interest too, notably through their good unsaturated fats, their plant protein and their minerals. A fine way of combining indulgence with ingredients that are interesting nutritionally.

This crumble has become a wonderful little accompaniment for me, able to turn a very simple preparation into a far more interesting dessert.

I use it in particular on my pots of custard, like my surprising zucchini-based chocolate cream, but also on fruit salads, layered glasses, fruit tarts, apple tarts and plated desserts.

A few crumbs are enough to bring that crisp contrast that changes everything.

And I find this recipe particularly useful in summer, when the temperature climbs and we have absolutely no wish to turn on the oven for a traditional crumble.

A small discovery from RAW FOOD

This creation is part of my exploration of raw food, a culinary world that fascinates me and genuinely deserves to be discovered.

But what exactly is raw food?

It is an approach that favors raw ingredients and preparations without traditional cooking. Some techniques do allow food to be dehydrated or heated very gently, generally around 42 °C and sometimes a little more depending on the practice.

The idea is notably to preserve certain nutritional qualities of the ingredients while exploring other textures and new flavor combinations.

In pastry, this approach opens an absolutely fascinating field of possibilities.

You discover that you can make creams, tart bases, entremets, cheesecakes and even crisp preparations without systematically resorting to baking.

My cashew crumble draws on that world of raw pastry, even if using plant-based margarine does not necessarily let me call it strictly raw in the most rigorous sense.

What I love deeply about this way of baking is that it invites us to step outside the usual techniques, to be curious and to discover that indulgence can take a thousand forms.

And believe me, a dessert being uncooked does not make it any less interesting or any less tasty.

Quite the opposite.

I sincerely hope this small personal creation surprises you as much as it pleases me.

It is a very simple recipe, but one that illustrates my philosophy of pastry perfectly: explore, try, create, rework and above all never assume there is only one way of doing things.

I would also like to thank you for being curious, for daring to discover new ingredients and new techniques, and for opening your mind to another way of cooking and baking.

It is a world that is sometimes little known, but so rich in discoveries, in flavors and in good things.

I hope this no-bake cashew crumble quickly finds a small place in your kitchen and that you take as much pleasure as I do in scattering it over your favorite desserts.

As always, I am looking forward to hearing from you. Do tell me about your experiences, share what you made and let me know which treats you chose to put this crumble on.

You can find me on my social media or write to me directly by email. Your messages and your discoveries are always an immense pleasure.

I wish you wonderful experiences and above all, enjoy this recipe, as simple as it is surprising.

Because baking differently is also giving yourself the freedom to discover new pleasures.

With all my love of good food,

Les Secrets d’une Cheffe