Baked apples with cinnamon and port

Rosh Hashanah is around the corner and it is time for apples and honey again. The baked apples I suggest this year are a simple, healthy and delicious dessert. They can be easily prepared in advance and baked while you are eating dinner, so a comforting scent of the cooking fruit will slowly spread among the diners.

If you prefer to leave out the port, you can replace it with kiddush wine or honey, making it even more suitable for Rosh Hashanah, or you can also simply add to the port a drizzle of honey as well. Nuts can be a tasty addition. The Amaretto biscuit is the Italian signature to the dish, but it is also optional.

The juice of the apples will most probably overflow a little while cooking and the apples may fade in colour and break a little. That is normal and the taste will still be delicious. If you want to make smaller portions, you can cut the apples in half, remove the seeds, creating a little cavity, and fill the cavity with the same ingredients. The cooking time will, however, be less, about half an hour instead of 40-45 minutes for the whole apples.

Enjoy and shanah tovah.

Time: 45 min
Serves 4 as dessert

Ingredients

4 green apples such as Granny Smith
4 tsp  cinnamon
4 tsp raisins
4 tbsp brown sugar
8 tbsp port
2 Amaretto biscuits, crushed (optional)
4 tsp mixed nuts, finely chopped (optional)

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200°C.
• Wash the apples. Leave the stem at the top of each apple and from the bottom create a hole with an apple corer or a sharp knife deep enough to remove the seeds and create a wide long cup inside the apple (about one inch wide).
• TIP: Be careful not to remove the core all the way through, otherwise the apple will break and you will not be able to put the filling in.
• In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon, the raisins, the sugar, and the crushed Amaretto biscuits and nuts,
• if using any.
• Place the apples on an oven tray covered with greaseproof paper or foil and fill the hole inside each apple with the mixture.
• Add 2 tablespoons of port to the filling of each apple until it starts to overflow.
• Place the tray in the oven and leave to cook for 40-45 minutes until the apples change in texture and start to break on the sides.
• Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
• Serve on its own or with vanilla ice cream or Chantilly on the side.

Cooking for the soul