FOOD FRIDAY - STUFFED BAKED APPLES

“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” - George Bernard Shaw
 

Our wet, wintry weather is continuing with the short days and long cold nights crying out for comfort food. Here is a favourite recipe using the plentiful apples that are around at the moment.

Stuffed Baked Apples
Ingredients

6 Golden Delicious apples
1 cup crushed walnuts
2/3 cup sultanas
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, (optional)
2 tablespoons golden syrup (or honey)
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
1/2 cup apricot jam
1 and 1/2 cups apple cider
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

• Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly coat a shallow 30 cm baking dish with cooking spray.
• Core apples all the way through with an apple corer, making a 2 cm-wide hole. Peel the upper third of each apple.
• Using a sharp paring knife, score the flesh about 1/2 cm deep around the circumference, more or less where the peeled and unpeeled areas meet.
• With the paring knife angled down, cut a shallow crater around the top of the hole to help hold the apricot jam that will go there. Set aside while you make the filling.
• Place walnuts, sultanas and coconut (if using) in a food processor. Chop the mixture fairly well, but not too fine; you want it to remain somewhat textured. Add syrup, lemon zest, spices; pulse several times to combine.
• Place the apples in the prepared baking dish and gently press 1/4 cup filling into each cavity. Spoon a generous tablespoon of apricot jam onto the crater of each apple.
• Combine cider and butter in a small saucepan; heat over low heat until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Pour the liquid over and around the apples.
• Cover the apples loosely with tented foil and bake on the centre rack for 30 minutes. Remove foil and baste the apples well.
• Sprinkle some crushed walnuts pieces on top of each apple and continue baking, uncovered, for 20 to 35 minutes more (depending on the size of the apples), basting every 10 minutes, until the apples are tender throughout.
• The best way to test them is with a thin bamboo skewer; the slightest bit of resistance near the centre is OK because they’ll finish cooking as they cool.
• Let the apples cool right in the pan, basting periodically. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold, with some of the pan juices spooned over each.
• You may also serve them with ice cream, custard or cream.

This post is part of the Food Friday meme,

and also part of the Food Trip Friday meme.