Special Baked Bramley Apples
By Valentine Warner for Bramley Apple Week (February 2-8).
- 100 g (3½ oz) butter at room temperature
- 2 tbs walnuts, broken
- 4 oatcakes, broken coarsely
- 4 Medjool dates, stoned and chopped roughly
- 2 tbs honey
- 2 tbs Muscovado sugar
- ½ tsp coarse ground black pepper
- Good pinch of cloves, ground
- A grating of nutmeg
- Splash of rum or whisky, optional
- 4 medium Bramley apples
- 4 bay leaves
- To Serve: clotted cream, optional
- Pre-heat the oven to 220 deg. C., 425 deg. F., Gas Mark 7.
- Mix everything but the bay leaves and apples in a mixing bowl thoroughly combining it all together. A splash of rum or whisky can be a welcome contribution.
- Core the apples, then using a paring knife, widen the tunnel and cut more of a funnel shape in the top half of the hole in order to accommodate the goodies. Make a slit, just through the skin around the equator of the apple, so to speak.
- Lay each apple in a baking tray each on top of a small square of baking paper.
- Stuff each apple well and insert a bay leaf lengthways down between the stuffing and the flesh of the apple.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the apple is totally soft and the slit has widened to reveal fluffy flesh.
- If the stuffing appears to be burning on top simply press another little square of baking paper on top.
- Serve with an enormous dollop of clotted cream, if desired.
