By HOPE A. THURLBY
OCTOBER FOR me is the time when apples are at their peak and the time I enjoy them most. While there is nothing as good as a crisp sweet apple straight from the tree, there are also a million wonderful ways to cook them.
Apple Pandowdie
This sinfully rich and delicious dessert is well worth the calories. Since apples can vary in size, so the other ingredients have no exact measurements, therefore, here I suggest proportions only. You can decide whether you want more of less of any ingredient.
4 large apples
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups of bread or biscuit crumbs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons of orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
Mix half of the melted butter with the walnuts and the bread or biscuit crumbs. Add two tablespoons of the brown sugar. Mix the cinnamon, nutmeg and grated orange peel with the remaining sugar. Peel and cut the apples into bite-sized pieces. Put one third of the crumb mixture into an ovenproof dish and top with half the apples. Sprinkle with half the orange juice and the sugar. Add one third of the crumb mix. Add apples, juice, sugar and crumbs as before. Bake, covered, in a medium oven (350ºF or 150ºC) for 40 minutes. Take the cover off and turn the oven up to hot (400ºF or 225ºC) to finish off. Serve warm with cream, whipped cream, ice cream or custard.
Baked Apples
Baked apples are less calorific, unless, of course, you serve them with ice cream or whipped cream! This recipe is for one person, but you can make as many as you have people to serve.
1 apple
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon raisins
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wash and core the apple, using a corer (one of those unusual kitchen tools it’s nice to have around but is seldom used). Make a thin cut in the skin around the middle (during the baking, the apple will expand and could explode through the skin – not changing the taste, but definitely upsetting its looks)! Set the apple on a shallow ovenproof dish and fill the centre with the walnuts, raisins, honey and cinnamon. Bake in a medium oven (350ºF or 150ºC) for between 25 and 30 minutes, depending on the size of the apple(s). If you are feeling expansive, you can add powdered ginger and a knob of butter to the centre. Serve warm or cold.
