Baked Apples with Fruit and Nut Filling

Baked apples are one of those dishes that feel like they have been around forever, and in a lot of kitchens they have. Stuffing a whole apple and baking it is an old way of making fruit into something that feels like dessert without much fuss. The apple does most of the work. As it heats, its flesh softens and its own juices collect in the bottom of the dish, so the filling ends up sitting in a little warm, spiced syrup.

The filling here is chopped by hand, which I like. Walnuts, dried apricots and sultanas go onto the board together and get minced until they stick together like a rough paste. That texture holds the filling in place better than loose crumbs would. Walnuts are worth knowing about: they are one of the few nuts that carry a good amount of omega-3 fats, and they add a slight bitterness that balances the sweetness of the dried fruit. Toasting them lightly in a dry pan first, for a few minutes, brings out more of that flavour, though you can skip it if you are short of time.

A few practical tips from my own trial and error. Choose apples that hold their shape, such as Braeburn, Cox or Bramley if you can find something sweeter to pair with them. Core them with a small knife or an apple corer, but leave the base intact so the filling does not fall out into the dish. When you pack the filling in, press it down firmly and let a little sit proud on top. The orange juice poured over the top is what gives the apples their bright note, and the water in the dish stops the bottom from catching while the foil traps the steam.

Leftovers keep well. Cover them and refrigerate for a day or two, then warm them gently in a low oven or a microwave. I have also scooped the soft flesh and filling out of cold apples and folded them into plain porridge the next morning, which is a lovely way to start a cold day. Stored apples can soften further, so they are best eaten within a couple of days.

For serving, a spoonful of unsweetened plain yoghurt is the simplest and most natural partner, since its tang cuts through the fruit. If you want something more comforting, a little custard or a dusting of extra cinnamon works too. These apples also sit nicely next to a bowl of Citrus Salad with Toasted Walnuts for a light winter spread, or alongside Warm Oat and Pecan Stuffed Apples if you are cooking for a crowd and want two kinds of baked fruit on the table.

Whatever you serve them with, eat them warm while the filling is still soft and the orange smell is still rising from the dish. They are at their best in the first half hour out of the oven, when everything is at its softest and most fragrant.