Michelle Darmody: Warm up to autumn with these baked apples

The smell of warm baking apples with toffee caramelization reminds me of my grandmother’s kitchen. 

The smell of warm baking apples with toffee caramelization reminds me of my grandmother’s kitchen. 

She was a very good but simple baker, usually making desserts with whatever fruit was available at that time of year. 

Her apple tarts always had a rim of bubbling toffee around the edge that solidified as the tart cooled. The toffee bubbled up between the pastry lid and the base and escaped through cracks. 

It was delicious and I always had my hands gently swiped away as I tried to pick at it as a child.

There is an abundance of apples this year and the fruity smell fills our kitchen. I am wrapping the apples in paper to keep them throughout the winter months, crumbles and baked desserts with a handful of dried fruit or some nibbed nuts. 

When I make this dessert, I like to pack it full of nuts and dried fruit. It is also a great way to use leftover mince after Christmas. it works very well at the centre of the apple.

I often make them if I have been using the oven to make dinner. Pop them in the oven as you sit down to dinner, and they will be ready when you are finished.

Baked Apples and Ice Cream

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

A comforting autumnal treat!

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 4 small cooking apples

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• 2 tbs golden raisins

• ½ tbs soft butter

• 1 tbs brown sugar

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4.

2. Wash the four apples and ask a grown up to cut the top off and take the core from the centre of the apple, leaving a little at the end.

3. Toss the raisins in the cinnamon and nutmeg. Divide the raisins into four bundles. Put one bundle into the hollow in the centre of your first apple and place the apple onto an oven proof dish. Do the same with the next three.

4. Divide the butter into four and put a quarter on top of the raisins in each apple then sprinkle the sugar on each piece of butter.

5. Put the top of the apple back on like a hat.

6. Ask and adult to put the dish into the oven and bake the apples for about 25 minutes. An adult can test them for you to see if they are completely soft.

7. Let the apple cool and you can either eat them by using a spoon or scoop out the centre and serve it with some vanilla ice cream.

Baker's Tips:

• It is best to choose an apple which remains firm during the baking process. Cooking apples are ideal but if not available,tart apples like Granny Smith or Braeburn are best. Gala or Red Delicious are not great options as their flesh becomes mushy. No matter what variety, it is best to avoid apples that are noticeably soft or indent easily. You may need to adjust the baking time based on the size and variety of apple that you use. Using a skewer to test when the flesh is done is the best way to make sure the apple is baked until soft. The higher the temperature, the more likely the apple skin will split, or the apple will collapse so it is best to keep it at 180ºC/gas 4.
• It is best to use a dish where the apples are snug but that is big enough that you can take the apples out at the end without squashing the neighbouring apple.
• When coring the apples you can use a specially designed apple corer. You can also use a paring knife to make the initial cut then scoop out the middle with a spoon or tool that is used for balling melon. Do not cut right to the base you want to make a well that can be filled without the mixture falling out the bottom.
• You can prepare the apples ahead of time and store them in the fridge in an ovenproof dish. You can bake them straight from the fridge but they may need a few minutes of extra baking time.
• These baked apples are delicious served with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream or even with a spoon or two of custard.
• The apple can also be made in an air fryer or microwave instead of an oven.
• The baked apples will keep, well covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can warm them up again if you like by letting them come to room temperature then heating them at 180ºC/gas 4 for about 20 minutes. It is not advisable to freeze them after they have been baked as they will become very mushy when defrosted.
• If you are looking to use up baked apples, you can scoop out the flesh and eat it cold on porridge or with yogurt.

Three delicious variations

Ginger

• Mix the sugar and oats with a ½ teaspoon of ground ginger, 30g of crystallised ginger diced, as well as the zest of two oranges. 
• Add a 100g mixture of nuts, roughly chopped. Fill the apples with this and add the butter before baking.

Chocolate pecan nut

• In place of the dried fruit, add 80g of dark chocolate chips and use pecan nuts in place of mixed nuts. 
• You can omit the cinnamon and mixed spice if you wish.

Date and almond

• In place of the dried fruit, chop 80g of Medjool dates and use almonds in place of the mixed nuts. 
• You can leave out the cinnamon and simply use the mixed spice.