Apples To Apples

Could there be any food more perfect than an apple? You can grab one at any given time and eat it with no degree of preparation what-so-ever. An apple is completely portable and ready to consume in all of its naked glory whenever you decide you are hungry for one. It has my vote as the best snack on the planet provided I am careful with my selection. When an apple is all I want, there is no greater disappointment than to bite into one and have it turn out to be nothing more than a mushy proposition. With that in mind, I have one word for you...Honeycrisp!

If you find a good supply of Honeycrisp apples, you have found a treasure chest of deliciousness. They have a sweet, yet slightly tart flavor, and "crisp" could not be a more appropriate word to use in their title. I have never eaten an apple with more crunch! Their season begins between mid September and mid October. They are usually a lovely red color over a yellow background, but can be mostly red depending on the coolness of the climate in which they are grown. The longer into their season, the sweeter they become. I have read that they are good for baking, as well as eating, but I have never been able to sacrifice their crunchy texture to the heat of an oven.


I have noticed that the mention of an apple in its unadulterated form does not seem to elicit any real excitement in people. Yes, they appreciate that apples were put on this earth for us to enjoy. Yes, they usually agree that apples are a healthy and nutritious snack. Yet, it is only when the conversation evolves to the enhancement (with a healthy dose of sugar and fat) of what God saw fit to bestow upon us, that the apple becomes a source of excitement and desire. The topic of an apple served as a dessert, rather than a unaltered snack, can actually produce a spark in the eye of the potential recipient. Talk of apple pie a la mode, a fresh apple crisp, or an apple brown betty, can make even the grouchiest of grinches smile from ear to ear.

Unless you are a seasoned baker, an apple dessert can be an intimidating and monumental task. There can be a lot of work involved in its preparation. Don't get me wrong, I am willing and able to take as much time as needed to make an apple creation because it is worth every second of work. Sometimes, however, I just don't have the time even though I crave the final product. After finding myself in the middle of that dilemma again and again, I knew I had to find a way to have my apple and eat it too!

A solution came to me as I began to reflect on my childhood. I remembered the coolness of the fall season and the warmth of my grandmother's kitchen as she prepared for me the perfect baked apple. It came out of the oven a golden ruby color, and it's flesh was warm and soft. The cavity was filled with a mixture of raisins and brown sugar, and I loved to pour a little milk, or cream, over it just before I speared it with my spoon.

I have come up with a version of my grandmother's memorable dessert to share with you, one that is warm and delicious. I realize you don't have to be a rocket scientist to make a baked apple. If all you do is put one in the oven without a whole lot of fuss, it will still turn out be a wonderful way to end a meal (or to be that meal in and of itself), but I wanted to put the idea of a simple apple dessert in your mind and share with you my version of that perfect idea.

By the way, I have included a link that will help you to decide where to go to pick your own apples if you happen to be in Lancaster County at the time of the year when apples are in season. If you aren't in the area, the link will give you an idea of how lucky I am to live where I do and, hopefully, it will give you the incentive to visit here on your next fall vacation!

Happy Thanksgiving everybody...and happy eating!!


Classic Baked Apples

3 large baking apples (I prefer Braeburn)
1/4 cup Sun Maid Baking Raisins
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tbsp chopped pecans
4 tbsp light brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp mild honey
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (or to taste)
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg (or to taste)
1/2 - 1 cup sweet apple cider


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and carefully core the apples, trying to leave the bottom of the apple intact if possible. Keep the centers narrow to prevent the apples from loosing their shape. Peel a one inch strip of skin from around the top of the apple. Pierce the skin three or four times around the apple's middle to allow the steam to escape. You may need to strategically trim areas of the bottom so that the apple will stand straight.
Mix the raisins and pecan pieces and fill each apple's center.
Place the apples upright in a shallow baking pan. When making three apples at the same time, I use a loaf pan which helps to hold them in place nicely.
In a bowl, mix together the brown sugar, melted butter, honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Top each apple with equally amounts of the mixture.
Pour enough cider in the baking dish to cover the bottom. During baking, add more if needed to keep level consistent.
Cover lightly with foil to prevent the raisins from burning and bake for 40-50 minutes (longer if necessary in relation to the apple's size).
Spoon the liquid over the apples from time to time.
Serve warm (not hot, as there is the potential of a bad burn) with milk, cream, half and half, or vanilla ice cream. Don't forget to drizzle several tablespoons of that wonderful buttery liquid over your apple for adding the finishing touches.
Need more servings - simply increase the recipe in proportion to the number of apples you will be making.