AAfter the excess of December, these baked apples are a light and refreshing vegan pudding. The filling makes good use of any dried fruit left over from Christmas, and is brightened with lemon and bound with nutty tahini. When baked, apples become fruity and fragrant, while sesame oats transform into a golden crown. You can serve it warm with a dollop of cream, yogurt, or ice cream (dairy or otherwise), and you’ll find comfort that feels both healthy and delicious.
Baked apples with lemon and tahini
If necessary, you can make it vegan and/or dairy-free with a few simple modifications.
Preparatory school 5 minutes
He cooks 1 hour and 15 minutes
serves 6
3 large Grandma Smith apple
200 ml apple juice
Double cream, yogurt or vanilla ice cream (dairy or otherwise), for serving
For the filling
70 grams dried fruits (any combination of raisins, figs, apricots, dates), cut into approximately raisin-sized pieces
25 grams of peeled pecansChopped
25 grams of light or dark brown sugar
30 grams of tahini
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Finely grated peel of 1 small lemon
1 A tablespoon of lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
For oat and sesame brittle
25 grams of oats
15 grams sesame seeds
1 tablespoon olive oilOr melted coconut oil
1 A tablespoon of maple syrup
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Cut the apples in half and, using a teaspoon, scoop out the cores to make a cavity about 3 cm wide. Arrange the cut apples, side up, in a suitable baking dish, then pour in more than half of the apple juice, allowing the excess to pool around the base of the fruit.
Preheat the oven to 210°C (190°C fan)/410°F/gas 6½. To prepare the filling, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until evenly mixed. Place about a tablespoon of the filling into each apple cavity, pressing gently to help it stick. Cover the dish with foil, then bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix all the oat and sesame crunch ingredients in a small bowl.
After 30 minutes, remove the metal lid and place the sesame mixture over the apples. Pour the remaining apple juice into the base of the dish, then reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (180°C)/350°F/Gas 4 and return the dish uncovered to the oven for a further 30 minutes, or until the apples are cooked and the tops are golden. If the topping turns brown too quickly, cover it loosely again with aluminum foil.
Take the apples out of the oven, leave them to cool slightly, then serve them with cream, yogurt, or vanilla ice cream.
