APPLE CRISP BAKED APPLES

APPLE CRISP BAKED APPLES

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup (1 ¼ ounces) walnuts, chopped medium fine

1/3 cup (1 ¼ ounces) pecans, chopped medium fine

1 teaspoon firmly packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

¼ cup rolled oats

4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

6 medium baking apples, such as Pink Lady or Jazz

1 ½ cups apple cider

Vanilla ice cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F.  In a medium bowl, combine walnuts, pecans, sugar, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and oats.  Add butter and toss to combine.  Peel the top third of each apple and, using a melon baller, scoop out the stem and enough of the core so that the walls of the apple are about ½ inch thick. Take care not to break through the bottom of the apple, or the filling will leak out while baking. Make the hole a bit wider at the top.  Stuff each apple generously using a small spoon or your fingers; mound extra filling on top.

Put the filled apples in a 2-quart baking dish. Pour cider into the pan around the apples, cover the dish with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake, basting every 15 minutes, for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, until apples are easily pierced with a sharp knife (they may split open a bit at the bottom). Serve apples drizzled with the sauce from the pan and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.