I had baked apples once as a kid. I wasn’t too impressed, but then again I was picky and fruit didn’t count as dessert in my books. Fortunately, tastes change and baked apples are pretty rad. And easy to make. It helps if you’ve already got dinner in the oven, so the oven is nice and heated, but if not that’s okay too! It’s winter and turning on the oven certainly helps to heat up our apartment.
I got the idea for this dish when I looked in my fruit crisper and saw three sad looking apples. These babies needed a higher purpose and baking them into soft sweet dessert is a fitting end, I think. To stuff the apples, I just used stuff found in my cupboards…my homemade granola and bits of nuts and dried fruit. Any nuts, coconut or dried fruit would work. Dried figs would be wonderful here! I used hazelnuts but honestly, I wasn’t a fan of them in this dish. Next time I’ll use almonds, walnuts of pecans instead. I used brown sugar, but raw sugar or honey would be nice too. I also cut down the butter since I was going to be serving this with ice cream…no need to add a huge amount of extra fat! And if you don’t have port, don’t bother running out to buy some. Just use apple juice, red wine, brandy or even water would be fine. Simple and easily adaptable…my favorite kind of recipe!
And hey look, I’ve been nominated as Best Canadian Weblog for the 2009 Bloggies! I’m so super excited, more so than I’d care to admit, but dammit, I’m thrilled! Voting is open until February 2nd and if you could spare the time and wouldn’t mind throwing me a vote for Best Canadian Blog, I’d be so thankful! Thank you also to everyone who took time out to nominate for me. I’m not much of a begger, but pretty please with sugar on top?
baked apples in port
3 apples, cored
2 T brown sugar
3 T granola
1 T dried cranberries
1 T chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans
1 t butter
1/4 c port (or apple cider or cranberry juice)1. Preheat oven to 350. To core the apples, use a paring knife and cut a triangle shaped wedge out of the top of the apple. Use a spoon to get out the remaining core. Do not cut through to the bottom of the apple. Place apples in a small glass baking dish.
2. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, granola, dried cranberries and nuts together and stuff into each apple. Divide the teaspoon of butter into three and plop a the butter on top of each apple. Pour port on the bottom of the baking dish.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, basting occasionally. Serve with ice cream.
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I actually have 3 apples in my fridge in a very similar sad state. Thanks for giving me an idea of what to do with them! Congrats on your nomination!!
Congrats on your nomination and a pleasure to give you my bloggies vote 🙂
Someday I’ll post about my Ma’s baked apples – simple but a glory unto themselves. Yours sound positively decadent, though, what with the port ‘n’ all!
Divine treat!!
I voted!! 🙂
done deal. my ballot has been cast.
Yum! And I love to have the oven on during those bitter cold days too.
I voted for ya chicklet!
I, too, have three sad-looking apples in my fridge! This is a sign that I need to bake some apples tonight… Thank you for the inspiration. 🙂
Also, congratulations on the nomination!
culinarywannabe, it’s the perfect recipe for 3 sad looking apples!
thanks laural 🙂
yay, daily spud! i’d love to hear about your mom’s, so post when you can.
thanks veggiegirl for voting! and it was a divine treat from such humble beginnings.
thanks, mevrouw!
dawn, thanks so much! it’s nice to do a little baking during the winter for added benefit 🙂
definitely, miss kate!
I was told by my naturopath recently to eat more fruit as I only have fruit once a month. My sweet tooth is very much like a child’s in the sense that if it doesn’t have frosting and lots of sugar, it’s not a dessert. That being said, I need to heed the advice of my naturopath, suck it up and eat more fruit. I suppose I can eat apples if they were prepared this way. But for tonight, I think I might make your berry galette.
Wonderful news on being a Best Canadian blog nominee. You’ve got my vote!
I need to stop looking at food blogs like yours before lunch. (insert HUGE stomach growling here)
And I”m off to go vote for you. Congratulations!!
Congrats on your nomination! That’s fantastic. I’ve voted for you already!
Congrats on the nomination, I just sent my vote in for you! These apples sound and look so tasty. Thanks for sharing!
Can you believe I’ve never tried baked apples? And here I live in Apple Country! Got to try these!
I have been lurking on your blog for a while now – great stuff!
I most definitely voted for you.
I LOVE baked apples — and yours look divine! Congrats on the nomination too!
Been reading for a while, first comment though. I voted for you. I enjoy reading all your recipes!
I was so excited to see your nomination!!I’m very proud and have already started the voting frenzy. GOOD LUCK!
PS. It’s very well deserved.
bijoux, the great thing with baked apples is you can eat it with ice cream. i know, a real dessert!! thanks for the vote 🙂
aw thanks shannalee! your blog is pretty spectacular too!
haley, thanks for the vote…and yes, the apples were delicious!
cakespy, get to it! and try it with ice cream…so yummy!
thanks for commenting and voting, kc!
thank you cookiepie!
thanks for commenting and voting, slice of pie! it’s nice to hear from readers.
thank you aimee, i’m truly touched! i, of course, have voted for you too!
congratulations! I’m off to go vote for you right now.
Thanks for visiting my blog, and congrats on your nomination, too! I’ll head over to vote. Unfortunately, the Food Blog Awards voting is now closed, but thanks for the attempt. 🙂 And good luck in the contest!
i used to love baked apples! gosh i haven’t had once since i was 13 or 14. congrats on the nomination!
I like sandwiches and my vote’s in!
congratulations, jeannette! i voted for you! & you actually weren't late on the new years wishes at all, yesterday was Chinese New Years! it was like a warzone here in shanghai. xoxoxo
Hi there and congrats!
I voted for you, too! xx
Found you on the bloggies. Great blog!
Congrats, you got my vote! 😉
Good luck!
And I have a bag of apples just begging to be used in this recipe!
Got my vote!!
thanks celine!
dang it, ricki! thanks you too!
sara, well, i think it’s about time you tried them again.
yay, yma! thank you.
jenny, thanks for stopping by!! i saw photos of shanghi and it looked amazing!
thanks top bird! good luck for both of us 🙂
thanks for stopping by, mrs L!
yvonne, thank you for your vote and use up those apples 🙂
thanks, coop!
Congratulations on your nomination! I voted for you 🙂
Hey congrats!
Just saw your nomination and snuck a vote in atthe buzzer. Good luck with the final tally.
PAL
thanks asha!
yay, thanks kitchenscraps 🙂
Since you already know I like your recipes, just wanted to tell you that I made this dish last week and it was amazing! Thank you so much for the recipe, it is one we will be enjoying again and again!