So simple, yet so delicious, not to mention easy.

Ingredients

• 4 apples
• ½ cup mixed dried fruit, sultanas or currants
• 75 grams butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup or brown sugar
• grated rind of 1 lemon or orange, optional
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks, optional
• cream to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
2. Using an apple corer, remove the central core of each apple. Should the stem still be attached, cut a small piece off at the stem and set aside.
3. Using a small sharp knife, score through the skin around the centre of the apple. This prevents the apple from splitting untidily when cooking.
4. Mix together the dried fruit, butter, golden syrup or brown sugar, lemon or orange rind and mixed spice.
5. Fill the cored apples with equal amounts of the fruit filling. Pile the filling on top of the apples. Place the small stem end back into the centre and place the apples in a baking dish. Choose a dish in which the apples will fit snugly.
6. Pour the water into the dish and sprinkle the sugar on top. Add the cinnamon sticks to the dish if using.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes or until a skewer or small sharp knife can be easily inserted into the soft fruit.
8. Serve the apples with a little of the fruit syrup that has gathered in the dish and runny cream.

Cooks Tips

- Good apples to use here include Golden Delicious, Pacific Rose and Braeburn. - Baked apples are wonderful with custard or ice cream for the kids.