Week 30 - Baked Apples

Speaking to my OH I came to realised he has not had the pleasure of ever eating a baked apple. I am not sure that I had that many when I was little, but they are such a simple, tasty desert I just had to bake them for him. He opted for no raisins but couldn't not have them. They cooked up so nicely the cut around the middle really helped to get the flavour on the outside along with the middle.

Book: Ministry of Food

Recipe: Baked Apples

Ingredients: 

Serves 4

50g unsalted butter
4 large Bramley apples
2 bay leaves, dried or fresh
2 cloves
50g flaked almonds
100g light muscovado sugar
75g raisins
1 orange
1 lemon
1 heaped teaspoon mixed spice
1 shot of brandy or whisky

Method: 

Take your butter out of the fridge about 15 to 30 minutes before you start making your baked apples so it has time to soften a bit first. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Use an apple corer to remove the cores from your apples, then carefully score around the middle of each one, using a knife. Place the apples in a baking fish. If using dried nay leaves, crumble them into little pieces; if using fresh you will need to finely chop them. Place into a pestle and mortar with the cloves and bash up. Put into a large bowl with most of the almonds and the rest of the ingredients. Using your hands, mix well, squeezing all the flavours into the butter. Stuff this mixture into the hole in each apple (where you have removed the core) and rub the outside of each fruit with any leftover mixture. Toss the remaining almonds in the bowl so they become lightly coated in any leftover juices, then sprinkle over the top of the apples. 

Place in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden and soft. Remove from the oven and leave to cool down for about 5 minutes before serving. Put each apple into a small bowl and spoon over the lovely caramalised juices from the pan. These apples are great with a dollop of good vanilla ice cream, creme fraiche or custard (or just by themselves!).

Changes Made: No muscovado sugar and used brown sugar instead. I also used granny smith apples. 

Results: Yum, reminded me of a simpler time, such an easy ones and great for the kids too.

Next Time: Nothing (again)