Denise says:
Although baked apples are perhaps considered a nursery food, by combining them with dessert wine, figs and roasted hazelnuts I have transformed them into a more adult pudding. It is a great recipe for the forth coming festive season as it is popular with the whole family. They are easy to prepare and the individual portions make them straightforward for serving.
Take care when choosing the apples so that they are perfect in shape and do not have any blemishes. If they do not stand up, you can slice a very thin layer off the base.
Preparation Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 8 people
Ingredients:
8 large apples –like Granny SmithsYou could use Cooking apples but they tend to be too sour.
150ml dried figs- stems removed and thinly sliced
125ml Muscat or other sweet wine
1 tablespoon margarine
Zest and juice of 1 orange
50g whole hazelnuts - skinned
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cardamom
35g brown bread crumbs
Garnish :450ml / 1 1 2 cups Thick Yogurt (use soya yoghurt for a parev meal)
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Method
1) Pre-heat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F/ Gas mark 6.2) Place the hazelnuts on an oven tray and roast for about 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from the tray and leave to cool.
3) Combine the figs, Muscat, margarine, orange zest and juice in a saucepan.
4) Stir over a medium heat until the mixture boils.
5) Roughly chop the hazelnuts and stir into the fig mixture. Add the breadcrumbs, nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom.
6) Remove the core from each apple, leaving a wide opening at the top for filling, and prick the skin with a fork to ensure the apples do not split.
7) Reduce the oven to 180 C/ 350F / Gas mark 4.
8) Divide the fig mixture among the apples. Pour 80ml / 1 /3 cup water into the dish, cover with foil.
9) Bake for 30 minutes.
10) Remove the foil and continue cooking for about 15 minutes or until the apples are tender.
11) Combine the yoghurt and honey.
To serve the stylish way: Dust the plate with cinnamon. Serve hot with a spoonful of yoghurt and honey on top.