Baking Apples
Some Helpful Tips for Baking Apples
Baking apples is part of a long-time tradition that you can make one of your family's favorites. Before you start, make sure you have everything you need, so you don't have to make an extra trip to the store. First, you'll need four apples for baking. Some of the best kinds are Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty and Jonagold.
In addition to apples, you will need one quarter cup of brown sugar, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one quarter cup of chopped pecans, 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine, one quarter cup of chopped raisins or currants, and three quarters of a cup of boiling water.
Start your oven preheating to 375 degrees, while you wash your apples. Remove the cores down to within one-half an inch of the bottoms of the apples. Make sure you don't cut all the way through the bottom of the apples, because you need them to form a bowl for the tasty mixture to rest in. An apple corer is the easiest tool to use for this task, but you can use a paring knife to cut out the stem area, and then cut out the core. Use a small spoon to dig out the seeds. Make your apple holes about three-quarters of an inch to one inch wide. This will help the apples drink in your spice mixture while you're baking apples.
Combine your sugar, cinnamon, raisins or currants, and pecans in a small bowl. Place the apples evenly in an eight by eight inch square baking pan. Stuff the middle of each of the baking apples with the mixture you have just made, and top each apple off with one quarter each of your one quarter tablespoon of butter or margarine.
Add boiling water to your baking pan. Bake for thirty to forty minutes. The apples should be tender, but should not be mushy, and the sugar mixture should begin to caramelize. Check the apples regularly, as you may need to add a bit more water to keep the apples from getting dried out as they bake.
Remove your pan from the oven, and set it up away from little hands, if you have children helping. They will be very hot!
Baste the apples with the juices in the pan, which will cause more flavor to sink into your apples. Then serve them warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream beside each one. They're sure to be a hit. Your friends will ask for them whenever they come over, so make sure you keep baking apples in the house so you're prepared.