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Robin Ward

Easy Cider-Roasted Apples

For fall dessert lovers who prefer a delightful twist on tradition, these sauce-soft apples are a dream come true. Wrapped in a luscious layer of butter and brown sugar, they create a seductive pudding-like texture nestled in a warm spiced cider caramel. Infused with aromatic ginger, cinnamon, and star anise, each spoonful delivers a tantalizing tingle. Served hot alongside a scoop of velvety vanilla ice cream, this dessert strikes the perfect balance between indulgence and effortless charm.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 6 Honeycrisp apples or other medium eating variety
  • 6 (85g) Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
  • ¾ (150g) cup light brown sugar
  • 1 (550ml) pint cider (the alcoholic kind)
  • 4-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 1 piece star anise I substituted ⅛ teaspoon of Chinese five spice powder for the star anise, as my husband prefers to avoid the black licorice flavor that anise imparts.
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Equipment

  • 1 12-inch cast-iron skillet (or oven safe baking pan)

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit, 220 Celsius. Gently score the apples around their equators with a knife to allow steam to escape (this prevents them from popping).
  2. Place the apples in a 12-inch pan, smudge the soft butter all over each apple, then roll them in the brown sugar. Pour in the cider, and add the ginger, cinnamon and star anise.
  3. Bake for about 60 minutes (depends on type and size of apple used), basting once or twice if you think of it.
  4. When you can poke a fork to the core of the apples and detect nothing but soft sauce within, remove the pan from the oven and place it over low heat on the stove. Add the apple cider vinegar to the pan and simmer until the sauce reduces to the consistency of maple syrup, about 10 minutes.
  5. Serve each apple in a bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and pour the cider caramel over the top.