Baked apples are a cold weather treat. Consider baking extras for following days. Heavy cream is the traditional topping. Fresh-whipped cream, particularly with a bit (1/2 tsp. per cup of heavy cream) of vanilla extract and honey (2 tbsp.), is excellent. Any of the commercially available prewhipped creams will serve in a pinch, however. Select your apples for taste, rather than appearance. A tart apple will retain a more interesting and lively flavor through the cooking process.
4 large Granny Smith or similarly tart apples 1/3 cup sugar ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of salt 1 long strip lemon zest 1 cup heavy cream for serving
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) Core apples and peel top third of each. Place apples in a baking pan just large enough to hold them.
3.) Place sugar, cinnamon, salt, and ¾ cup of water in a small saucepan. Stir to combine. Add lemon zest and bring to simmer over medium heat. Simmer 1 minute, until sugar and salt are dissolved. Spoon the syrup over apples.
4.) Cover the pan with the apples tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour, basting once after 30 minutes. Recover tightly before returning to oven. When done, the apples will be very tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. The sauce will have thickened to a syrupy consistency. Spoon the syrup over the apples several times to coat them well.
5.) Serve the apples warm in bowls with a bit of the syrup spooned over them. Serve with the cream in a small pitcher alongside.
