Baked Apples Stuffed With Honey Almonds And Ginger Food

BAKED APPLES STUFFED WITH HONEY, ALMONDS, AND GINGER

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Mix in cream. Let stand until sugar dissolves and filling thickens, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Using small sharp knife and starting at side of apple at center point, cut around each apple to make slit in skin to prevent bursting. Using small end of melon baller, scoop out core and all seeds to within 1/2 inch of bottom. Place apples upright in 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon filling into hollow of each apple. Mound remaining filling on top of each apple (some may slide down sides). Pour juice around apples. Butter large sheet of foil. Loosely tent dish with foil, buttered side down.
• Bake apples until barely tender, about 1 hour. Uncover and bake until apples are very tender and sauce is bubbling thickly, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer apples and sauce to bowls. Serve with yogurt.

BAKED APPLES

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven and heat to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, and set a 9- or 10-inch glass pie dish on top.
• Cut a small cap off the top of each apple, and set aside. Using a paring knife or corer, core the apples, making sure not to go all the way to the bottom. Cut away and reserve about 1/2 inch of peel around the tops of the apples. Rub the peeled portions of the apples with the lemon, squeezing a little juice into each opening.
• Fill each apple with an equal amount of dried apple and ginger, if using, pressing down lightly as needed to push bits into the opening. Pour 1/2 teaspoon honey over the dried fruit in each apple. Cut the butter into 4 pieces, and top each apple with a pat. Pop the caps back on the apples. (It's O.K. if they teeter). Transfer the apples, lemon wedges and a few of the reserved peels into the pie dish; pour in the cider or juice, and stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons honey. (The honey won't blend evenly into the cider, and that's fine.)
• Bake the apples, basting occasionally with the cider and honey, until you can poke them with a skewer or the tip of a knife and not meet much resistance, 50 to 70 minutes. Since apples are so variable, check early and often, as you might need more or less time.
• Let them cool for at least 15 minutes before serving moistened with a little pan sauce, and if you want, top with cold heavy cream, whipped cream or ice cream and dust with cinnamon. The apples are good warm or at room temperature. They'll keep, covered, for 2 days in the refrigerator and can be reheated in a microwave.

HONEY BAKED APPLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Core the apples, and remove the peel from the top third of each one. Place them in a baking dish, and fill the core holes with as many cranberries as you can fit.
• Meanwhile, stir together the water, brown sugar and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar and honey if necessary. Once it comes to a boil, pour the mixture over the apples.
• Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, basting with the juices every 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

BAKED APPLES STUFFED WITH CRANBERRIES AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut 1/2 inch off the top of the apples and reserve tops. Use a paring knife or spoon to hollow out the apples, leaving about a 1/2-inch thick wall and base. Set aside.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add cranberries, honey, cardamom, dates and orange juice and zest and cook until the cranberries begin to collapse and liquid thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in almonds.
• Spoon cranberry mixture into apples then replace the apple tops. Put into a small baking dish filled with 1/4 inch water, cover with foil and bake until tender, 15 to 30 minutes (depending on apples).
• Uncover, and carefully pour off the water and continue baking until very tender and golden, 10 to 15 minutes more.

BAKED APPLES STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Place 1 tablespoon butter and leeks in heavy pan; cook, shaking pan and stirring, until leeks begin to turn transparent.
• Add 1 tablespoon water, stir and cover pan.
• Continue cooking until leeks are tender, 10 minutes, adding more water if necessary to prevent leeks from sticking.
• When leeks are cooked, transfer them to bowl and blend inches Add goat cheese and cream.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Gently stuff each apple with an equal amount of the goat-cheese-and-leek mixture, pressing it into cavity and mounding on top.
• Core the apples and remove strip of peel from circumference of each apple (lemon juice will keeping them from oxidizing and discoloring); place apples in baking dish.
• Pour wine around apples, put bay leaf in wine and lightly salt interior of each apple.
• Top each apple with 1/4 of the remaining tablespoon of butter.
• Bake apples in center of oven until tender and cheese is dark golden on top, 35 to 45 minutes.
• Transfer to plates, garnish with parsley and serve immediately as appetizer or side dish.