One of my relatives, Flora, recently discovered an allergic to raw fruits and vegetables. I’d never heard of such a thing and count my lucky stars that I’m not afflicted with the same allergy… mainly because I love raw fruits and vegetables!
She’ll be over on Thanksgiving. We usually set the table with fresh fruit – apples, grapes, oranges – but she won’t be able to enjoy any of them. So I’ll be making a special recipe just for her.
Baked Apples a la Flora
6 medium Honey Crisp or Golden Delicious apples
1 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup apricot marmalade
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly coat shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
Core apples with an apple corer. Peel the upper third of each apple.
Using a sharp paring knife, cut a shallow crater around the top of the apple to hold the filling that will go there. Set aside while you make the filling.
Place walnuts, cranberries (if using) in a food processor. Chop well, but not fine. Add syrup, lemon zest, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pulse to combine.
Place apples in prepared baking dish and press 1/4 cup of filling into each. Spoon a tablespoon of marmalade onto each apple.
Combine cider and butter in a small saucepan. Heat until melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over and around the apples.
Cover loosely with tented foil and bake on center rack 30 minutes. Remove foil. Baste with drippings. Continue baking, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, basting often.
Test for doneness with a thin bamboo skewer. Insert and check for resistance. A slight bit of resistance near the center is fine as they’ll finish cooking as they cool.
Let the apples cool in the pan, basting periodically. Serve at room temperature.
Deborah, or iDeborah as she’s affectionately known on Twitter, loves to experiment in the kitchen. Some of her best dishes were created by accident! She started this blog to encourage others to get creative in the kitchen… and to record some of her accidental creations so she can enjoy them again! To learn more about
Mon, Sep 28, 2009
Desserts, Gluten Free