Baked apples with dates & almonds

Apples are a crisp, white-fleshed fruit with a red, yellow or green skin. The apple is actually a member of the rose family, which may seem strange until we remember that roses make rose hips, which are fruits similar to the apple. Apples have a moderately sweet, refreshing flavor and a tartness that is present to greater or lesser degree depending on the variety. For example, Golden and Red Delicious apples are mild and sweet, while Pippins and Granny Smith apples are notably brisk and tart. Tart apples, which best retain their texture during cooking, are often preferred for cooked desserts like apple pie, while Delicious apples and other sweeter varieties like Braeburn and Fuji apples are usually eaten raw.

For a healthy dessert, try these Baked Apples stuffed with Almonds, brown sugar and Cinnamon. A dollop of custard or ice cream goes down very well if you dare.

Ingredients

• Melted butter, to grease
• 80g fresh or dried dates, pitted
• 60g (1/3 cup) blanched almonds, very finely chopped
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 (about 200g) Granny Smith apple
• 20g (1 tbs) butter, melted, cooled
• Vanilla ice-cream, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush 2 shallow, 250ml (1-cup) ovenproof dishes with the melted butter to lightly grease.
2. Roughly chop dates. Place dates, almonds, sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir to combine.
3. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the apple.
4. Cut apple into quarters, remove core and cut into 1cm-thick wedges.
5. Divide apple wedges between the greased dishes. Sprinkle with date and almond mixture, and drizzle with cooled melted butter.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the apples are just tender and the tops are golden. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Serve topped with a small scoop of ice-cream.

(Source: Taste.com)