Baked Apples with Spices, Olive Oil and Nuts

This is a simple but elegant dessert; most importantly, it uses very little sugar. Apples are a favourite in the French culinary world, and this is a lovely dish thatexpresses the beauty of the fruit.

The apples are soft, but the texture is highlighted by the nuts' bite in the stuffing. The addition of cinnamon, so traditional, makes this dish familiar and soulful. It is very low in sugar, with sweetness coming from the natural sugars in the apples and the apple juice that turns into a syrup. It is wonderful. I loved this dessert for its simplicity and subtle flavours, it is light and refreshing rather than heavy.

This is one of those cookbooks that hides in my library; occasionally, I spot it and cook from it. Every recipe is spectacular, and the easy and healthy French cuisine is designed to amaze you. The recipes range from savoury tarts to salads to desserts; each one is beautiful to present and delicious.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the nut filling:

4 tablespoons dried cranberries, finely chopped

4 tablespoons shelled unsalted pistachios, finely chopped

4 tablespoons slivered almonds, finely chopped

1 cup (250ml) fresh apple juice

Finely-grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

4 crisp, flavorful apples, e.g. Reinette, Pink Lady, Gala

4 cinnamon sticks

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons turbinado (raw) sugar

Cream, to serve

Method:

In a small bowl, combine the cranberries, pistachios and almonds; set aside.

In a pot, combine the apple juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Cover and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Core the apples, then slice the top off each one (set these aside) and drizzle with lemon juice. Place the apples in a baking dish and divide the stuffing mix among them. Place a cinnamon stick in each apple and cover them with their tops. Pour the infused juice and oil over the apples, then sprinkle with sugar.

Place the apples in the oven and bake for 1 hour, or until the flesh is tender, regularly drizzling with the cooking juices. Remove from the oven and serve warm with the juices and a dollop of heavy cream.