For a convenient, cool-weather dessert or breakfast treat, prepare the apples when it's
convenient, then bake them an hour before serving time. - LIFESTYLE MEDIA GROUP/Distributed By Universal Press Syndicate
A GOOD baked apple offers the delicious aroma and taste of apple pie filling, but has little or no fat, and is far less work to prepare. There's no pastry to mix and roll, and baked apples are less likely to bubble over and bake onto the oven.
Finding a reliably good baking apple can take some experimenting, since the flavour, texture and shape of a fresh apple undergo significant change during baking or microwaving.
In the final analysis, the best varieties are the ones that, when baked, have the combination of flavour, taste, texture and shape you find most pleasing.
Here's a baker's dozen that are available in most areas of the country: Baldwin, Braeburn, Cortland, Crispin (also known as Matsu), Fuji, Granny Smith, Greening, Jonathan, Northern Spy, Pippin, Rome Beauty, Russet and Stayman Winesap.
SUCCESS TIPS
When choosing an apple corer, pick one with a sharp blade that is long and wide enough to core and seed even large apples. The handle should feel comfortable when gripped and be securely attached to the blade.
When coring apples for baking, push the corer in just far enough to remove seeds and tough fibres, but do not push it all the way through to the opposite end. Leave a small bit of fruit intact at the bottom of the apple to keep the filling in place.
Baked Apples with Prunes
Warm up a weekend breakfast or brunch with this dish. If desired, at the table pass a bowl of plain yogurt or a pitcher of half-and-half (evaporatd milk).
4 small tart cooking apples
1 cup pitted dried prunes
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. lemon juice (or 1/2
tbsp. lime juice)
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/3 cup sugar
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Core apples (do not peel); place in a lidded baking dish large enough to hold them without crowding. Arrange prunes around apples. Sprinkle with lemon zest, vanilla, lemon juice and water. Mix nutmeg and sugar, and sprinkle evenly over fruits.
2. Cover and bake until apples and prunes are very tender (45 to 55 minutes).
3. To serve, place an apple into each of 4 small bowls; partially break apples open with a spoon; spoon some of the prunes and juices over the apples. Serve at once.
Serves 4.
Nut-Filled Baked Apples
Northern Spy, Rome Beauty or other large apples that don't fall apart during baking are ideal for this recipe.
6 large baking apples
1/3 cup finely chopped
walnuts, pecans or blanched
almonds
1/3 cup firmly packed brown
sugar
2 tsps. butter, softened
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Core apples; remove only about 1 1/2 inches of peel around stem end. Arrange apples in shallow baking dish just large enough to hold them.
2. In a small bowl, mix nuts, brown sugar, butter and lemon zest. Spoon some of the mixture into each apple; pack lightly. Add water to the dish to a depth of about 1/4 inch.
3. Bake apples, uncovered, basting occasionally with liquid from bottom of dish, until tender when pierced with a fork (40 to 45 minutes). Serve hot or at room temperature.
Serves 6.
Apples Stuffed with
Raisins and Dates
This apple dish uses "natural" sweeteners instead of white or brown sugar.
6 large tart baking apples
2 dried figs, chopped
1/4 cup pitted, chopped fresh
dates
1/4 cup raisins, plumped in
hot
water for 10 minutes, then
drained
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
4 tbsps. frozen apple juice
concentrate or 2 tbsps.
maple syrup or warm honey
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Core apples.
2. Mix remaining ingredients;
spoon into apples, packing well.
3. Place fruit in a shallow baking dish; cover loosely with aluminium foil. Add enough water to cover the lower fourth of the apples. Bake until apples are soft and lightly browned (about 35 minutes). Serve hot, warm or cold.
Serves 6.
Micro-Baked Apples
Put this homey dessert into the microwave as you're sitting down to supper; it needs only about 15 minutes to microwave and stand before it's ready to serve.
4 medium-sized baking apples
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbsps. sugar
1 tablespoon butter
METHOD
1. Wash and core apples. Place in a nine-inch-diameter, microwave-safe baking dish.
2. In a small bowl, combine raisins, walnuts and sugar. Add butter; use a fork to cream mixture together. Divide stuffing evenly among apples.
3. Microwave apples on high (100 percent) until apples are tender when pierced with a fork (9 to 11 minutes). Let stand five minutes. Serve warm.
Serves 4.
