Baked Apples (With Chopped Hazelnuts)

**Jubes**'s Note:

Good old-fashioned baked apples. A great winter dessert and also gluten free. This recipe makes 6 baked apples. You can substitute different fruit and nut combinations, eg sultanas and sliced almonds. These are extremely hot when removed from the oven I usually allow them to sit for about 10 minutes. Any extra apples can be stored in the fridge and reheated in the microwave.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6

Yield: 6.0 baked a ...

• 6 granny smith apples
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 50 g butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons hazelnuts, chopped
• 3/4 cup raisins, chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest or 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 teaspoons honey or 6 teaspoons golden syrup or 6 teaspoons pure maple syrup or 6 teaspoons rice syrup
• 1/3 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C ( 350°F ).
2. Core the apples, using an apple corer. If you dont have a corer, use a sharp knife leaving a wider opening at the top than at the bottom. There is no need to remove the apple skins.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, butter, hazelnuts, raisins, cinnamon and zest.
4. Stuff the apples firmly with the fruit mixture. Pack the apples as much as possible and then pile any leftover mix into mounds on top of the apples.
5. Place the apples into a baking dish, casserole or cake tin. Use a dish that fits them as snugly as possible-this will stop them from falling over. I usually use a pyrex pie/tart baking dish.
6. Spoon 1 teaspoon of honey/syrup over each apple. I usually just guess the amount for each apple and use a pouring top bottle of honey. Pour the water into the bottom of the dish.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the apples are soft.
8. Serve drizzled with any syrup remaining in the bottom of the dish.
9. Serve with cream, ice-cream or custard if desired.

Reviews

[I'mPat]

I made 3 granny smith apples and used sultanas and toasted almonds as that is what I had and needed to use and only used half the amount of recommended brown sugar and a sugar free maple syrups and we had a delcious dessert that was friendly to our blood sugar readings. Thank you Jubes, made for Make My Recipe - Spring Edition.

[weekend cooker]

Made these with 2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons apple pie spice, the raisins, pecans for the hazelnuts, the lemon zest, and the cinnamon. Baking time was close to what was written. Ending result was a fabulous dessert. Made for Fall Pick a Chef 2012.

[mailbelle]

Enjoyed these! Reduced recipe to only make 2 since there were just 2 of us here. Popped them in the oven as soon as we sat down to dinner and they were ready as soon as we finished dinner. Made as written except I used dried cranberries instead of raisins. And since DH is a bigger fan of hazelnuts than raisins/cranberries, I switched the amounts, using more hazelnuts than cranberries. Thanks for posting! Made for Aus/NZ Recipe Swap #34.