It is that time of year when every apple recipe I have starts to find it way to the top of the pile. I think there is nothing better than a great apple pie, but many times you might not have the time to bake that wonderful pie. If you are looking for a quick to prepare dessert that has the wow factor of an apple pie, it is time to try my Baked Apples. Quick to prepare and terrific served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream of a dollop of yogurt on top. Refrigerate any leftovers and warm in the microwave prior to serving. I was thinking what a great mix-in these would be. Just dice the leftover Baked Apples and mix into softened vanilla ice cream, freeze and serve. That is what I am going to try next, Crunchy Baked Apple Ice Cream – sounds like a winner to me!
- 4 medium sized baking apples
- 1/2 lemon
- 3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cold butter, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries and/or chopped nuts
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice apples in half, with a spoon scoop out the core. Arrange apples in a baking dish. Squeeze the lemon over the apples. Stir together the remaining ingredients. Generously spoon the topping over the apple, mounding the mixture on each apple and sprinkling the extra around the apples. Bake the apples until the crumble tops are brown and the apples are tender, 45 - 60 minutes. Remove from oven, serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream and the caramelized brittle-like mixture from the bottom of the pan.