Foodie Friday: Baked Apples
January is often the month where we feel obliged to think about eating healthily, cutting back after the Christmas excesses, and yet, it really isn't the right time of year - who really feels like a salad and a smoothie when the wind is cutting through your coat, and you are going to work and coming home in the dark. Not us, that's for sure.
But, in the interests of striking a balance we thought we would share this recipe for baked apples - a delicious pudding that is warming and comforting without being calorie -tastic.
We hope you enjoy!
BAKED APPLES
4 Cooking Apples, cored but whole
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg (or use 1 teaspoon of mixed spice in place of the above three ingredients)
50g light muscovado sugar (although regular will do just fine)
Handful of sultanas
1. Pre heat the oven to 180C/gas 6. Score a line around the equator of the apples with a sharp knife.
2. In a bowl mix the sugar, spices and sultanas.
3. Put the apples into a baking dish with a little water at the bottom. Stuff the sultana mix into the apples so they are well packed. Top each with a knob of butter and bake for 35 minutes or until a knife slides through easily.
4. Remove from the oven and serve warm.
For an extra delight (but less so on the healthy front, pour a little honey into the sultana centre just before serving - the honey/sultana mix oozes down the sides of the apples most satisfyingly - and led to this dish being known as "Apple Volcanos" in The Oven Cleaning Man's house.
