k  Beautiful baked apples - Wednesday Night Dessert  k

Who has forgotten the pleasures of a baked apple? This comforting dessert is the perfect pudding partner to your tagine; soft, plump and loaded with many of my favourites like almonds, apricots, sultanas, cinnamon, orange zest and for a little sweetness, some maple syrup or honey. You can pop these into the oven whilst you are cooking the tagine.

I suggest you serve these baked apples with a greek yogurt (or plant based yogurt) or whipped coconut cream is also equally gorgeous.

TESS’S RECIPE TIPS

Make sure you baste with the juicy liquor a few times through the cooking process. Any baked apples that are left are absolutely delicious to have the next day for breakfast with overnight oats, chia pudding or a yogurt of your choice.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

4 organic eating apples (braeburn, fuji, gala)

1 cup of herbal tea of your choice

50g (or a handful) unsulfured apricots

50g (or a handful) pitted prunes

50g (or a handful) sultanas

30g (or a handful) almonds

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Zest of half and orange

1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

Matchbox size chunk of butter, ghee or coconut oil

Method

1. Turn the oven on to 180C fan/ gas 5. Boil the kettle and make one small cup of herbal tea of your choice. A classic Chia yogi tea is preferable, but it’s up to you. In a small bowl place the sultanas, apricots, prunes, cinnamon and orange zest. Allow to soak for 20 mins, then remove the tea bag.

2. In the meantime remove the core from the apples, then cut a small slice off the base so they won’t fall over in the baking tray. Next, lightly cut a shallow line through the skin around the circumference of the apple with a sharp knife (this will prevent them from bursting open when they cook).

3. Stand the apples in a baking dish and using your fingers push the fruity mixture into each apple, using up all the mixture between them and any of the tea liquor. Drizzle over honey or maple syrup.

4. Add a blob of butter (or coconut oil if vegan) to the top of each apple and cover with foil and bake for around 50 minutes until soft but still holding their shape.

5. Remove the foil about two-thirds of the way through cooking and basting with the buttery juices…serve the apples with the juices spooned over them and a scoop of what you fancy on the side.

Bon Provecho!

Love Tess x