Baked apples are delicious and you can easily prepare them both in the traditional oven and in the microwave. Most recipes recommend cooking four at a time, but you can only make one if you're home alone and want to satisfy your palate with something that's both healthy and tasty. First you need to remove the core from the apple, then you can flavor it with butter and spices. You can cook the apple in the traditional oven or in the microwave, according to your preferences.
Ingrediants
- 1 to 4 large apples (choose an apple variety suitable for cooking, for example Golden Delicious, Pink Lady or Fuji)
- 2 to 8 tablespoons (30-110 g) of butter
- 1 to 4 tablespoons (15-60 g) of brown sugar
- Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
- 20 g pecans (optional)
- 20 g raisins (optional)
- 20 g rolled oats (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg (optional)
- 1 pinch of ground cloves (optional)
- Peach chunks to decorate (optional)
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare the Apples
Step 1. Preheat the oven
Turn it on to 190 ° C before you start preparing the apples so that it has already reached the right temperature when it is time to put them in the oven.
- Move one of the shelves to the bottom half of the oven. Apples will cook best at this height.
- If you only want to cook one apple, you can consider using the microwave for convenience.
Step 2. Remove the core from the apples
Empty them from the top leaving the last inch and a half intact to prevent them from breaking in half. The ideal is to use a round digger, it is a kitchen utensil designed to remove the seeds from the melon or precisely the core from the apples. Alternatively you can use a small pointed knife, carve the apple from the top around the core and then remove it with the help of a teaspoon.
Apple varieties best suited for baking include Golden Delicious, Pink Lady and Fuji
Step 3. Fill the empty space left by the core with butter and sugar
Use two tablespoons (30g) of butter and 1 tablespoon (15g) of brown sugar for each apple. You can mix the two ingredients in a bowl before putting them in the apple or you can add them separately. Both will melt in the oven, amalgamating.
- You can spice up the apple with cinnamon and add a crunchy note with chopped pecans.
- Another option is to mix 55g of brown sugar with 20g of rolled oats, half a teaspoon of cinnamon, a quarter of a teaspoon of nutmeg and a pinch of ground cloves in a bowl and then use the mixture to stuff the apples. As a last ingredient, add a little butter on top of the filling.
- You can also use other ingredients that go well with apples, such as raisins, walnuts, or another fresh fruit, such as peaches. Use your imagination and compose the filling according to your personal tastes.
Step 4. Place the apples in the pan and add 250ml of water
It is best to space them a couple of centimeters from each other. The water should cover the bottom of the pan, evaporating it will keep the apples moist during cooking.
- If you have decided to use the microwave oven because you want to cook only one apple, put it in a deep dish (made of glass or ceramic) and add about 60 ml of water.
- You can use apple juice instead of water for an even more delicious taste.
Step 5. If desired, you can sprinkle the apples with cinnamon before putting them in the oven
If you belong to the sweet tooth category, you can also add another pinch of sugar. You can also add dried or fresh fruit chopped or cut into small pieces.
Having stuffed the inside of the apples, it is not necessary to add anything else. Butter and sugar are enough to make them sweet and tasty
Part 2 of 2: Bake Apples in the Oven
Step 1. Cook the apples for 30-45 minutes
They must turn golden and with a wrinkled skin. You can check if they are cooked by skewering them with a fork. If the prongs easily penetrate the pulp, they are ready.
- Check them for the first time after 15 minutes to avoid overcooking them for too long. If the apples are small or fewer than four, they will cook more quickly.
- You can cover the apples with foil if you want them to cook faster. Remember that aluminum foil cannot be used in the microwave; you can only use it if you are using the traditional oven.
Step 2. Cook the apple on maximum power for 4 minutes if you have decided to use the microwave
Also in this case the peel must become wrinkled. Check if the apple is cooked by sticking it with a fork. If the prongs easily penetrate the pulp, it means it is ready to eat.
If the flesh is still firm, return the apple to the oven and continue cooking at short intervals of 30 seconds
Step 3. Remove the apples from the oven (traditional or microwave)
Wear oven mitts or use pot holders to avoid burning your hands. Place the hot plate or pan on a trivet to avoid damaging the kitchen surfaces. Let the apples cool.
Be very careful when handling the hot pan or dish
Step 4. Let the apples cool for a few minutes
They will be super hot as soon as they are taken out of the oven, so don't touch or taste them until they have cooled down a bit.
Step 5. Slice the apples before serving
Once cool, turn them on their side and slice them using a sharp knife. At the center of each slice must be the sweet filling.
- It is not essential to cut the apples before serving them, but it is a way to facilitate the diners. Alternatively, they can be eaten from above using a teaspoon or cut into small pieces.
- Those with a sweet tooth can add a scoop of ice cream over the apples or a puff of whipped cream.
Advice
- The peel of apples tends to detach by itself from the pulp when they are cooked, this does not mean that if you want you can peel them before cooking them.
- The most suitable tool to easily remove the core from apples is the digger, you can buy it online or in stores that sell kitchen items.
- After filling the space left by the core, when almost cooked, you can add pieces of fruit or spices around the apples. Wait until they are almost cooked to prevent the spices and other ingredients from burning.
- If you want to get your kids to eat cooked apples, you can stuff them with sugar, cinnamon, and marshmallows. They will have a racy and delicious heart.
Warnings
- Do not slice the apples before cooking them, or they will have a mushy texture.
- Handle the oven and hot dishes very carefully and wait several minutes before touching or tasting the apples.
