I love dessert but I usually just eat a couple pieces of dark chocolate and call it a day. Earlier this week, I was reviewing my recipe archives and realized I only had two recipes under the dessert category. Sorry guys! So when I received a donated bag of organic McIntosh apples from Goodness Greeness I couldn’t resist making something sweet.
These organic McIntosh apples come from Viva Tierra and are grown on the East Coast of the U.S. and Canada. They are great for eating “out-of-hand” (aka raw) and for making applesauce. They are typically not used for baking but in this particular recipe I love the outcome of using these apples. Once baked, they create a soft, creamy texture that you can literally scoop out of the skin itself.
This recipe includes oats, sugar, butter, cinnamon and apples. It is definitely sweet but I think could also crossover into the breakfast world. That’s right…breakfast! Plus I like to serve these Baked McIntosh Apples some tangy, plain greek yogurt which makes the bridge into the AM even easier.
The real key to this dish is the way you cut the apples. I only peel the top 1/3 of the apples and then cut a little scoop out of the top for your oat filling. So when the apples bake you will literally see the flesh of the apple “pop” out of the skins. The peel of the apples then turns into the serving vessel for the baked apple. It’s actually pretty cool.
The apples then bake in a pan with a little apple juice and get nice and soft and golden brown on top. Top with yogurt, ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraîche. It’s perfect any way you go. And as always, it’s healthy, seasonal and organic!
If you’re looking for a guide to what types of apples are the best for baking check out this Serious Eats article. It’s awesome!
- 7 small organic McIntosh apples
- 2 tbsp butter, cold and cubed
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats (not instant)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup apple juice
- 1 cup plain non-fat greek yogurt
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Peel 1/3 of the apple from the top.
- Scoop out about 1 tbsp of the apple from the top (check out the pictures).
- Combine butter, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt. Rub together with your fingers until the butter is incorporated but still crumbly.
- Fill each apple with about 1 tbsp of oat filling.
- Place the apples in a baking dish or cast-iron pan.
- Fill the bottom of the pan with the apple juice and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes and then uncover the foil.
- Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Serve each apple with about 2 tbsp of greek yogurt.
Love this dessert. McIntosh are a favorite and not usually thought of
as a baking apple. Thanks for the apple article tip.