Baked Apples with Date and Walnut

My Baked Apples are the easiest desert to make and yet everyone loves them!

They are a great pudding to make and cook when the oven is already on for something else, plus they use store cupboard ingredients, so are a good go-to recipe when you’ve run out of inspiration or just fancy something sweet and warming.

The big plus with this warm pud is that there is no added refined sugar, all the yummy sweetness comes from the fruit itself, making it a perfect sweet treat if you are trying to be healthy or lose weight!

Served warm with a dollop of Yoghurt or Creme Fraiche, (I recommend Half Fat Creme Fraiche), this is guilt free comfort food at its best!

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 2

2 Medium Eating Apples – (I usually use Pink Lady as they are sweet, with crunch and a lovely colour)

1 Medjool Date – Stone Removed

4 Walnut Halves

2 Tablespoons or 1 Small Handful of Sultanas or Raisins

1 Apple Corer

TIP: If you can’t use walnuts because of Nut Allergy or you simply don’t like them, then try substituting them for some extra dried fruit such as Blueberries or Cranberries!

METHOD:

1. Wash and dry the apples, and twist the stalk to remove it.
2. With your chopping board on a firm surface, take the Apple Corer and careful position over the bud end of the core, (i.e. not the stalk end), and firmly push trough the apple, giving a little twist at the end. Remove the Apple Corer and the discard the apple core.
3. Check that all of the core has been removed and that no pips remain. If some core is still there then use the Corer or a small knife to cut it away.
4. Place your apples in a roasting or ovenproof dish.
5. Cut the Medjool date cross-ways into four pieces.
6. With the apples in the dish take a quarter piece of date and push to the bottom of the apple core cavity. This will act like a bung!
7. Push a walnut half on top of the date.
8. Add a layer of a half of the dried fruit.
9. Add another walnut half, and then pushing down quite firmly, top off with a final quarter piece of date. This acts as a seal.
10. Bake in a medium oven for 20-25 minutes or until the apples have softened and the fruit has begun to caramelise in the dish.
11. Serve while hot, making sure you scrape up the caramelised juices, and add a dollop of yoghurt, creme fraiche or custard.

If you like this recipe, but fancy something a bit naughtier, why not take a look at when I made Macarons, or for another healthy sweet treat try this!