Recipe for Baked Apples
Pommes au four (baked apples) is an old fashion French dessert – a simple rustic dessert filled with the nutritious goodness of apples and the sweetness of homemade caramel. It is an affordable seasonal recipe that will make you, and everyone in your family, want to eat an apple a day! And you will love the idea that the caramel makes itself while your apples are baking – the easiest caramel you’ll ever make! Very versatile, this apple dessert can be served on a cold weeknight – it will warm up your loved ones and provide them with a sweet serving of fruit at the same time. But you can also pretty it up with confectioners’ sugar and this heartwarming dish is sure to dazzle your guests if you serve it at a dinner party.
French Country Recipe for Baked Apples
So check below for Art of the home detailed baked apples recipe and Art of the Home suggestions. Baking will take about 40 minutes but prep. time for this seasonal healthy dessert is fast (less than 10 minutes) so it is a quick and easy dessert you can get going as you are getting dinner ready. Enjoy and bon appétit!
French Country Recipe for Baked Apples
Baked Apples (Pommes au Four)
INGREDIENTS (for 2 servings)
- 2 apples (boskoop or braeburn or any type that is firm so it holds during baking)
- 1 Tbsp of cane sugar or other sugar you may have
- 1 tsp of salted butter
- 1/2 small glass of water (about 1/4 cup)
- 2-4 walnuts
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400 °F.
- Wash apples and remove the core (we use our apple corer but in a pinch you can also use a good pairing knife and remove the core and seeds from both ends).
- Put apples in baking dish and drop small dots of butter inside (about 1/2 tsp each). Sprinkle sugar inside and on top of the apples. Pour water at the bottom of the dish – there should be enough for a very thin layer. This will make a nice caramel to pour over the apples during baking and before serving.
- Bake for about 40 minutes — more or less depending on how big your apples are. After about 15-20 minutes, remove baking dish from the oven, tilt it and using a spoon pour liquid caramel over the apples then return to the oven.
- When the apples are done, roughly chop a few walnuts and insert into each apple. Place apples on individual dessert plates, pour any caramel left on top of the apples. Finally, using a small mesh strainer, dust with confectioners’ sugar.
- Serve hot or warm with knife and fork (although your apples should be tender enough to eat with a spoon, we prefer to offer a knife and fork — the apples won’t slide as much so it’s a bit easier but it’s up to you)
A FEW SUGGESTIONS
- To burst or not to burst: very often, your “pommes au four” will burst and we feel this is part of the country charm of this old fashion dish so we let this natural process happens. There is a tip however if you would like to make sure there is no “unruly” bursting. On Step 2, using a small pairing knife, cut a ring around the apples (midway between the top and the bottom) and voilà!
- This recipe can easily but doubled up to serve a family of 4.
- Baked apples à la mode: for a special occasion, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoon of crème Chantilly (Chantilly cream) – si bon!