Baked Apples With Dates Almonds And Rum Food

BAKED APPLES WITH RUM AND CINNAMON

Steps:

• For the glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, rum, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir to blend and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook and reduce for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the sugar and other ingredients to blend together.
• For the apples: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a baking dish large enough to hold all of the apples, arrange the apples in a single layer. Put a cinnamon stick inside the cavity made from coring each apple. Pour the glaze over the apples and top each with pieces of butter. Add the cider to the bottom of the dish and place it in the center of the oven.
• Cook the apples, basting them from time to time, until they are tender but not mushy, 25 to 30 minutes (smaller apples will take less time). Serve with scoops of ice cream, sour cream, or just by themselves. They are also delicious leftover.

CHOCOLATE RUM BALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Arrange the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the center of the oven. Toast the almonds until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool. Arrange the almonds on a flat surface and coarsely chop them with a large knife. Set aside.
• In a medium metal bowl, combine the chocolates. Create a makeshift double boiler by filling a pot that will hold the bowl snugly with about 2 inches of water. (The bowl should not touch the water.) Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat so that the water is simmering. Set the bowl of chocolate over the pot, stirring with a heatproof spatula from time to time, until the chocolate is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.
• In a small pan, simmer the honey over medium heat until it bubbles, froths and turns amber brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and gently stir the honey into the chocolate.
• Use a strainer or sifter to sift the powdered sugar over the chocolate-honey mixture and stir it in, along with the almonds, rum and vanilla, until smooth.
• Place the sprinkles in a cookie tin or container with a fitted lid. Roll the chocolate mixture into small balls (about 1 1/2 inches) and arrange on a baking sheet. Spill the sprinkles over the chocolates and press the sprinkles into the exterior of each to make them stick.
• When all are rolled, sprinkle them with salt and store them in the container nestled in the remaining sprinkles. Refrigerate, if needed, but serve closer to room temperature.

DATE-FILLED BAKED APPLE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine 1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar, dates, walnuts and cinnamon. Peel top half of apple and remove core; place in a small baking dish. Fill with the date mixture. Combine water and remaining brown sugar; pour over apple., Cover and bake at 400° for 35-40 minutes or until apple is tender, basting occasionally. Serve warm with whipped cream.

BAKED APPLES WITH RUM

Steps:

• These are so satisfying and don't break the calorie bank if eaten without the ice cream. They can also be made without the rum. I have suggested rum raisin ice cream because I love the combination, but vanilla ice cream or even lemon sorbet would be just as delicious.
• For the glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, rum, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir to blend and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook and reduce for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the sugar and other ingredients to blend together.
• Prepare the apples: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a baking dish large enough to hold all of the apples, arrange the apples in a single layer. Put a cinnamon stick inside the cavity made from coring each apple. Pour the glaze over the apples and top each with pieces of butter. Add the cider to the bottom of the dish and place it in the center of the oven.
• Cook the apples, basting them from time to time, 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are tender but not mushy. Cook's Note: Smaller apples will take less time.
• Serve with scoops of ice cream or sour cream, if desired or just by themselves. They are also delicious leftover.

BAKED APPLES WITH ALMOND BUTTER AND CREME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Begin by scoring very small thin lines around the sides of the apples using a zester, this is to prevent the apple from exploding while cooking. Remove the cores from 1 end, using a melon baller, making sure not to go completely through the apples.
• To make the mixture, combine the softened butter, sugar, almond powder, and the cinnamon, and mix until all ingredients are combined.
• Stuff the apples with the butter mixture, and cook for 40 minutes.
• While the apples are baking, combine the cream, vanilla, and 2 ounces sugar in a saucepot, and bring to a boil.
• In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, remaining 2 ounces sugar, and blend until smooth. Once the cream has come to a boil, temper egg yolks with approximately 1/2 of the cream, making sure to whisk constantly. Return the tempered yolks to the cream mixture. Cook the sauce over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
• Strain the sauce into a container, and then cool in the refrigerator or in an ice-water bath.
• To serve, plate each warm apple on a dessert plate, and add a drizzle of the cream sauce around and on top of each apple.

BAKED APPLES

Steps:

• Ask a grown-up to turn the oven on to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Sit each apple on the worktop and push the apple corer into the centre of each one (or ask a grown-up to do this for you).
• Mix the sultanas, muscovado sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.
• Stand up the apples, side by side, in a baking dish. Using your fingers, push a little bit of the sultana mixture into each apple, using up all the mixture between them.
• Add a blob of butter to the top of each and sprinkle over the demerara sugar. Ask a grown-up to put the dish in the oven for 20 mins or until the apples are cooked through.

BAKED APPLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Scoop out the core from top of the apple, leaving a well. Do not cut all the way through. Stuff each apple with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon butter. Place in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until sugar begins to caramelize and apples are tender.