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Baked Apples | ![]() |
Another time-tested recipe from Kitchen Parade, one of my very oldest recipes, a favorite of my mom's dating way back to my childhood! Years later, Baked Apples remain a fall tradition here. I just love how small apples soak up the luscious, rich apple-flavored brown-sugar sauce. Utterly addictive!
COMPLIMENTS!
"... tasty :) ... essentially an apple pie without the pie." ~ Anonymous
BAKED APPLES were my mom's favorite. She loved to bake apples (and other sweets) when supper was what she called "a little skimpy".
At a young age, I copied Mom's recipe onto my own 3x5 card just to make them myself – and I still do! Baked Apples are a fall tradition here, that's when the local apples are just-picked, the selection and freshness so good. But thanks to imports and new storage techniques, apples are available year-round so apples can be baked year-round on a whim.
In the oven, the apples turn dark and soft. The real attraction? The simple brown sugar sauce takes on sweet apple flavor: utterly addictive! Less sauce would do, but then again, the apples are small. :-)
So if your supper is a little skimpy tonight? Add hot, rich baked apples to the menu and your family will leave the table with big smiles. Try Baked Apples with a bit of vanilla ice cream – or a splash of cream. Delicious!
BAKED APPLES
Total preparation time: 1 hour
9 servings
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SAUCE
- 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Dash cinnamon
- Dash nutmeg
- 1-1/2 cups water
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 9 small or medium apples
Heat oven to 325F/160C.
COOK THE SAUCE In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and spices; stir together with a wooden spoon to remove any obvious lumps. Add water and stir. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add butter. Cook until thick, stirring occasionally.
WHILE THE SAUCE COOKS Rub a 9x9-inch glass dish with butter. Wash and core the apples, arrange the apples right side up in the dish. Pour the hot sauce over the apples, be sure to get some sauce inside the apples.
BAKE Bake for 45 minutes, about halfway through baking, remove from the oven and spoon the hot sauce over the apples again. Return to the oven to complete baking.
Serve hot or cold with a drizzle of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
It's so-so easy! For delicious homemade applesauce, try blending varieties – sweet and tart, firm and soft, for example. When apples are plentiful, make extra batches for freezing. Here's how you make it.
Just wash and core some apples, I usually do three or four pounds at a time, 1 pound of apples yields about 1 cup of applesauce. If you like, peel the apples – just know that it’s unnecessary and adds texture to the end product. Besides, applesauce turns a very pretty pink when cooked with the skins on!
Chop the apples into small pieces and drop them into a saucepan, it should be big enough to allow room for a little swelling and stirring. Add a bit of water, the apples will secrete additional cooking liquid, you don't need much water.
Over medium heat, ook until the apples are soft, stirring occasionally. Leave the apples "au natural" or turn smooth with an immersion blender.
Add honey if additional sweetness is desired, I rarely do. f you like, for a little more dimension, after cooking the apples, stir in the zest and juice of a small lemon and a half teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger.
That's it! That's how you make Homemade Applesauce!
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Oy yeah, that looks good! I've baked apples but never with such a lovely glaze...
ReplyDeleteHi Katie ~ This is what baked apples look like before they're baked. Afterward, they're gorgeous to the eye -- all plump and soft and deep caramel brown -- just not to the camera!
ReplyDeleteThis one really did have me back in my mother's kitchen when I was little. Baked apples with a maraschino cherry on top! Thanks for the memory.
ReplyDeleteI think I just got off the school bus and the kitchen smells like baked apples and a pork roast.
ReplyDeleteYou know you make me wanna shout, kick my heels up and shout...
ReplyDeleteI love baked apples! I can smell them just by looking at the photo...now I know what I'm doing tomorrow! What a fun blog btw. I'm glad I found it today.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great classic comfort food recipe, thanks for sharing, Alanna!
ReplyDeleteAt first glance I thought they were glazed donuts - gave me a sugar rush!
ReplyDeleteDessert doesn't have to be junk food. One of these would satisfy my sweet tooth very nicely, thank you.
Looks delicious! How could I resist that glaze?
ReplyDeleteWas tasty :). Essentially a apple pie without the 'pie'. Made it straight from the recipe but next time would peel the apples along with coring. The skins just dont do anything for me ;P.
ReplyDeleteHi anonymous ~ Ah yes, the peel or no peel question, glad you brought it up. I don't peel the apples (nor did my mother) but they can be tough, definitely take some pressure to slice through. When I made them for my dad last week, he complimented me on the softness of the peel - which suggests that other times, the peels have been tough. Last week's batch spent an extra half half hour in the oven, waiting for the ice cream to arrive!
ReplyDeleteSo - yes, do peel. I'd love to know how they work out that way.
I am a kitchen manager for a Assisted living facility. This looks like a recipe that they would enjoy. I am always looking for a new one. I'll try and let you know
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous ~ If it's any guide, my 81-year old father was licking his chops over this a few weeks ago! I do hope you'll let me know!
ReplyDelete