SERVES 6
Click here for information on toasting nuts. If you don’t have an ovensafe skillet, transfer the browned apples to a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and bake as directed. The recipe calls for seven apples; six are left whole and one is diced and added to the filling. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
|
7 |
large Granny Smith apples (8 ounces each) |
|
6 |
tablespoons unsalted butter, softened |
|
⅓ |
cup dried cranberries, chopped coarse |
|
⅓ |
cup pecans, toasted and chopped coarse |
|
¼ |
cup packed (1¾ ounces) brown sugar |
|
3 |
tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats |
|
1 |
teaspoon finely grated orange zest |
|
½ |
teaspoon ground cinnamon |
|
|
Pinch salt |
|
⅓ |
cup maple syrup |
|
⅓ |
cup plus 2 tablespoons apple cider |
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core, and cut 1 apple into ¼-inch dice. Combine diced apple, 5 tablespoons butter, cranberries, pecans, sugar, oats, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt in bowl; set aside.
2. Shave thin slice off bottom (blossom end) of remaining 6 apples to allow them to sit flat. Cut top ½ inch off stem end of apples and reserve. Peel apples and use melon baller or small measuring spoon to remove 1½-inch-diameter core, being careful not to cut through bottom of apples.
3. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add apples, stem side down, and cook until cut surface is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip apples, reduce heat to low, and spoon filling inside, mounding excess filling over cavities; top with reserved apple caps. Add maple syrup and ⅓ cup cider to skillet. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until skewer inserted into apples meets little resistance, 35 to 40 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with maple syrup mixture in pan.
4. Transfer apples to serving platter. Stir up to 2 tablespoons of remaining cider into sauce in skillet to adjust consistency. Pour sauce over apples and serve.