Hello Poopchik!
Baba know you is little bit tired! So she want to offer you very simple dessert recipe I make for my grandkids. Is comforting and not too sweet, and acceptable for almost any one your guests, no matter what kind food program they on. Is easily made for people who need wheat-free.
In Ukraina, we value yabluchnyk, apple, so much, we have special holiday for its harvest. Baba like telling people, "You is apple in my eye."
Sometimes I make this Ukrainian Baked Apple for myself, when I need little pick me up. It have little bit sweet, little bit protein. May keep you from passing out in middle of hard day.
Ingredients per Apple:
▪ Large apples, as many as you like. Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, Pink Lady, these are very good. I encourage you to support farmers who raise Heritage apples.
▪ Honey, 1tbsp. OR
▪ Xylitol or Monkfruit sweetener, 1 tbsp. But be aware, Xylitol is highly toxic to pets. Monkfruit sweetener often have this added, too.
▪ Walnut, pecan, almond pieces (your favorite), 1 tbsp.
▪ Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp.
▪ Raisins, 1 tsp.
▪ Butter, 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. to grease baking dish
▪ Fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp.
| ▪ | Large apples, as many as you like. Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, Pink Lady, these are very good. I encourage you to support farmers who raise Heritage apples. |
| ▪ | Xylitol or Monkfruit sweetener, 1 tbsp. But be aware, Xylitol is highly toxic to pets. Monkfruit sweetener often have this added, too. |
| ▪ | Walnut, pecan, almond pieces (your favorite), 1 tbsp. |
| ▪ | Butter, 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. to grease baking dish |
| ▪ | Fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. |
Ukrainian Topping for Each Apple
▪ Smetana, sour cream, 1 tbsp.
▪ Brown sugar or sweetener, 1 tsp.
▪ Vanilla or rum extract, 1 drop
| ▪ | Smetana, sour cream, 1 tbsp. |
| ▪ | Brown sugar or sweetener, 1 tsp. |
| ▪ | Vanilla or rum extract, 1 drop |
Preheat your oven to 400 F. Put wire rack to middle of oven. Do this first or you be sorry.
Grease up baking dish with butter. Is best if you leave butter on counter for few hours. Cover so cat and husband don't lick.
Baba Tip: soak your raisin in hot water for 30 minutes, so they nice and soft, and don't make burning in oven.
You can either core apple down to 1/4" from bottom----or cut in half very large apple and core inside each half. Cut apple at circumference, as in photo. I really like this, because is beautiful presentation AND allow you to spread more smashnyy (delicious) filling around top of your apple half.
Spoon ingredients into cored apple. Butter go on top.
Bake for 20-30 minutes. Watch until they bubble and start to brown.
In meantime, whisk together your smetana topping. Not whiskey, whisk. BWAhahahhha. Okay, is not so funny as usual. Baba bet you never have that on baked apple before!
But speaking of which, you can always soak your raisins in horilka. Whiskey, rum, liquer are nice.
Fancier addition to this recipe: before baking, place each apple or apple half on triangle of puff pastry. Pull pastry up, and seal at top with fork and bit of water. Don't get finger stuck, like with Scotch tape and gift wrap.
Once apples is nice and tender and ready to serve, pour smetana topping on top. You can add icing sugar if you use pastry, as in photo below.
Smachnoho, Poopchik!
Warmly,
Baba Raisa
