Description
Apples stuffed with cherries, port, orange zest, pistachio nuts and spices make a warming end to Bill's laid-back Christmas dinner.
Ingredients
135g/4¾oz dried cherries
2 tbsp port
50g/2oz unsalted pistachio nuts, finely chopped
40g/1½oz sliced white bread, crusts removed, roughly torn
65g/2½oz butter, plus extra for greasing
1¾oz tsp orange zest, finely grated
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
pinch ground cloves
2 tbsp brown sugar
8 large green apples (such as Granny Smiths or Bramleys), cores removed
300ml/10fl oz apple juice
To serve
vanilla ice cream or thick cream
Method
1. Place the cherries in a small bowl, pour over the port and set aside to soak for at least 2-3 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
3. Rub the base of a large non-stick baking tray with a little butter.
4. Place the soaked fruit, pistachios, bread, butter, zest, spices and sugar in a food processor and pulse to a rough-ish paste.
5. Using a sharp knife, make a shallow cut horizontally around the middle of each apple to prevent them from bursting during cooking. Place the cored apples on the baking tray and stuff each one with the filling.
6. Cover the baking tray loosely with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the apples are soft, basting them occasionally with the apple juice.
7.To serve the apples, serve warm with vanilla ice cream or thick cream.
Recommended wines: late-harvest sweet Gewurztraminer from Alsace, France or late-harvest sweet Semillon from Australia