Baked Apples

I saw these being done on a cooking show on t.v. over the weekend.  It reminded me of my dad and I remembered how he'd make these for my sister and I.  It was so easy, he just hollowed them out with a paring knife, leaving the bottom intact.  Then he'd put in a pat of butter, some brown sugar and cinnamon and bake them in the oven for an hour.  I can remember my sister and I asking him why they took so long to cook as once we could smell the cinnamon wafting through the oven, we became impatient...


When my dad cooked, he was excellent at it, and he could always concoct something delicious out of very little.  Rice & Bread puddings are other desserts that remind me of him and my youth.  He loved to cook too and it always showed in his food - it was really good.

While my son and I were out shopping today, I saw organic Braeburn apples on sale, so decided to make a couple of these tonight.  This recipe I found was very much like what my dad did.

I used a meatloaf pan and I sprayed it with "Pam".

I had no apple juice or cider in the house, so I used a bit of maple syrup mixed with sparkling wine on the bottom of the pan.

I used a melon baller (small end) to core the apples.

Figures, I dropped one on the floor (the one on the right) and it went bouncy, bouncy, so that means bruisey, bruisey...sigh.

I mixed about 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of currants, 1/4 teaspoon of allspice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon (next time I'd use half that amount) and fresh grated nutmeg into a ramekin.

I put a teaspoon of unsalted butter into each apple and then filled them both with the seasoning mix.  It was exactly enough for both apples.

I covered with foil and then baked them for an hour.  In the recipe, hers didn't break open but mine did and my dad's always did too.

I served my son some vanilla ice cream with his.

I used my apple to cut it open and show the inside.  And then my son ate it...

I tried it, it was as I remember and hey, it's much easier than making apple pie.  My son loved it and said it was yummy.  I know this is the first time I've made these and I probably haven't had them since my dad made them when I was a kid... I'm thinking of him tonight.  💟  Here's to you, dad!  🍸