Baked Apples with Lemon Syrup

Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 40-45 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6 Golden Delicious apples, peeled 40 g
• soft unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 4 sun dried apricots, chopped
• 12 roasted hazelnuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 1 cup water

For the lemon syrup

• 2 cups water
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 lemons, juiced and zest julienned

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°c. Core the apples using an apple corer (keep the cores), and cut the apples horizontally into 1 cm slices. Reform the slices into the apple shape and secure slices together using wooden cocktail sticks. Cut a 1cm slice from each apple core and place in the base of the core cavities, to prevent the stuffing from seeping out during cooking.

Mix together the butter, brown sugar, apricots and hazelnuts and press into the cavity of each apple. Place the apples into a baking dish. Combine the lemon juice and water and brush over the apples. Pour the remaining lemon water around the apples and lightly cover with a piece of foil to prevent the stuffing from burning.

Cook in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until tender, brushing occasionally with the cooking liquid. Remove the wooden sticks and serve warm with the lemon syrup.

Accompany with thick cream.

For the lemon syrup: Combine the water, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a medium sized saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves then boil over a medium heat until the liquid reduces to one cup. Serve warm poured over the baked apples.