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Baked Apples

by JANE WORTHINGTON-ROTH

Remember those stoneware apple bakers? They were a shallow bowl with a spike in the middle on which to hold an apple upright as it baked. I bought a couple of them when I was in college and anxiously awaited the autumn apple harvest so I could try out different varieties of apples. Not all apples are suited for baking. You want to use an apple that will hold its shape during the cooking process and result in a dessert that’s soft but not mushy on the inside with a shell that stays intact. My favorite is Braeburn which is a very crisp apple with an intense flavor that bakes up juicy but not mushy.

If you’re out picking apples this fall, ask your local farmer which varieties are best for your intended use – snacking, applesauce, pies, baked apples – there are dozens of varieties, each with their own distinct qualities and flavor. You don’t have to peel the apples before baking – just core them to remove the seeds, but you might also like to trim a little of the peel from the “equator” around the center, just to make sure the apples don’t swell too much and burst the peel while baking.

Traditionally, baked apples are stuffed with brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts but I’ve seen many different recipes. Some add raisins or other dried fruits, bits of crushed toffee candy or make it tart by adding some cranberry sauce. I’ve even seen savory baked apples that are stuffed with shredded cheese such as cheddar or smoked gouda. I guess if you enjoy the classic apple pie with a slice of cheddar then stuffing the cheddar into the apples is just turning the recipe inside-out!

I like the traditional cinnamon-sugar-nut flavors but encase my apples in dough. This makes an elegant dessert for an autumn meal. Each apple is baked in a separate shallow ramekin, which makes serving the dessert easy. If you have any decorative cookie cutters in the shape of leaves – top each apple with some leaves cut out of the extra dough trimmings. Served hot out of the oven with a small scoop of vanilla or pumpkin ice cream on the side it’s a perfect seasonal dessert.

BAKED APPLES

6 Braeburn apples (each about 3” in diameter)
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons chopped nuts
3 tablespoons golden raisins
1 package of Pillsbury pie crust dough
Flour, for dusting
1 egg, lightly beaten
Baking spray
Cinnamon Sugar (optional)

6 shallow ramekins wide enough to hold the apples*
Small leaf-shaped cookie cutters

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts and raisins. Set aside.

Lightly flour a cutting board or parchment paper and roll out each sheet of dough – you will cut three 7-inch circles from each sheet of dough. Cut about a dozen leaves from the trimmings of the dough – you’ll use 2 to 3 leaves on each apple.

Because the apples will be wrapped in pastry dough, remove the entire peel and core them.

Lightly spray each ramekin with some baking spray. Place an apple into each ramekin and fill each core with the brown sugar mixture.

Drape a circle of dough over each apple, being careful to make sure the dough is completely tucked into the ramekin. Dab a little water on the top of the dough to help “glue” a few leaves of dough to the top.

Use a pastry brush to paint some beaten egg over the dough. This will help it to bake to a beautiful golden brown. If you’d like, you can sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar on top of each for some added flavor and color.

Place the ramekins on a large baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately.

*Note: If you don’t have shallow ramekins, you can also bake the apples in a muffin-top pan which will hold the six apples in separate sections. Remember to coat the muffin pan with baking spray before use.

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