Maple Baked Apples with Dried Fruit and Nuts |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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This is a simple, delicious dessert that also makes a warming and special brunch dish or breakfast. Although many baked-apple recipes are on the lean side (my mother always ate them when she was dieting), my version is luxurious yet still homey. I stuff the apples with a mix of brown sugar, dried fruit, and nuts, then bake them in a sauce of apple cider, maple syrup, and plenty of butter, which cooks down to a rich, thick glaze. I like to use Cortlands here because of their good squat shape and their complex fruity flavor, but any firm, tart baking apple will do. Ingredients:
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar |
3 tablespoons roughly chopped dried cherries |
3 tablespoons chopped dried figs |
2 tablespoons roughly chopped sliced toasted almonds |
2 tablespoons roughly chopped toasted pecans |
6 large, firm baking apples, such as cortlands, cored but not peeled |
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces |
1/2 cup apple cider |
2 tablespoons maple syrup |
Directions:
1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, dried fruit, and nuts.
2. 2. Place the apples in a baking pan or casserole dish and stuff their cavities with the fruit and nut mixture. Place a piece of butter on top of the stuffing.
3. 3. Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into the bottom of the baking pan and bake the apples, basting every 5 to 7 minutes, until they are tender, 25 to 35 minutes.
4. 4. When the apples are tender, transfer them to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour the pan juices into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer the mixture until it becomes syrupy and reduces to a sauce, about 10 minutes. Serve over the apples.
5. Serving Suggestions Serve with yogurt, whipped crème fraîche, or ginger ice cream.
6. The Last Course, by Claudia Fleming with Melissa Clark Random House
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