Baked apples with fruit and nut filling

Apple harvest is approaching, and what could be more obvious than a warm, spicy dessert with the best fruit of the season? Here you get a beautiful and simple end to the meal - baked apples filled with a mix of warfair delicacies: roasted almonds, sun-dried figs and dried white mulberries . They are slowly baked in cider with warm spices, and served with a caramelized sauce and whipped cream. A perfect dessert when you want to cozy up around the table - and you don't have to worry about pie crust at all.

Tip: If you'd rather avoid using alcohol, you can replace it with a non-alcoholic cider, reduce the sugar a bit, and add a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to add acidity and depth.

This recipe was created by Vilda Gonzalez for Ziba Foods - the original recipe can be found here: https://zibafoods.com/vildas-fruit-and-nut-stuffed-roasted-apples/

Ingredients:

Fill:

• 30 g Shakhurbai almonds , coarsely chopped (¼ cup)

• 40 g sun-dried figs , coarsely chopped (¼ cup)

• 30 g dried white mulberries (¼ cup)

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Other:

• 4 large eating apples

• 60 g salted butter, softened (¼ cup)

• 50 g maple sugar (or cane sugar) (¼ cup)

• 6 cardamom capsules, slightly crushed

• 4 whole cloves

• 1 small cinnamon stick

• 1 small piece of ginger (about 2–3 cm), sliced

• 1 bay leaf

• 3.5 dl dry apple cider (without additives)

• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

• Whipped cream for serving

Procedure

1. Prepare the filling:
   Mix almonds , figs , mulberries , cinnamon, cardamom and maple syrup in a small bowl and stir well.

2. Core the apples:
   Cut off the top quarter of each apple and save the “lid”. Carefully hollow out the center with a small knife or teaspoon, without cutting through the sides. There should be room for about 1 large tablespoon of filling per apple.

3. Fill and prepare the apples:
   Fill the apples with the fruit and nut mixture and put the “lid” back on. Rub the entire apple with the softened butter, then roll it in the maple sugar so that it is completely covered.

4. Baking:
   Place the apples in a small ovenproof pan or dish. Scatter the spices and ginger around them and pour in the cider. Bake the apples for approx. 75 minutes, basting with the liquid during the process. The apples should be soft and caramelized.

5. Make the caramel sauce:
   Remove the apples and place the pan on the stove over low heat. Add the apple cider vinegar and cook until the liquid has a syrupy consistency. Strain out the spices.

Serve with the apples with the reduced sauce and a spoonful of whipped cream and enjoy the taste of autumn in every bite.