Baked Apples

If it's fall in New England, it's apple season in the minds of its residents! Whether picked yourself at one of our state's many orchards or brought home from a farmers market, freshly-picked apples are a good source of vitamin C and fiber, and contain several other vitamins and minerals essential to good health.

Here's an apple dessert you can try at home. As always, feel free to use different ingredients to make the dish uniquely yours.

The Ingredients:

• Apples
• Maple syrup
• Cinnamon
• Pecans, raw, chopped
  
• Raisins, chopped
  
• Butter
• Boiling water (for the pan)

How to Make them:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and core your apples about 1/2 inch deep, or just enough to scoop out the seeds, making sure to not cut through the bottom of the fruit. If you don't have an apple corer, a paring knife works just as well. In a bowl, combine your pecans, raisins, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Fill each apple with this mixture until almost full; place a thin slice of butter on top of each apple hole.

Gently place each apple in a baking pan or dish; fill the dish with the boiling water (the water should reach less than 1/2 the apples' height). Cook the apples for 30-40 minutes or until tender. Baste with the pan juice and let rest for a minute or two prior to serving as the apples will be extremely HOT!

Here are some ingredient ideas to experiment with:

Nutmeg
Cloves
Walnuts
Brown sugar
Dried cranberries or currants
Your favorite jam or fruit preserves

Media (text and images) created and published by Rebekah Carter (2010)