Cider-Baked Apples with Dried Cranberries

SERVES 4

Ingredients

4 large apples

ВЅ cup dried cranberries or cherries

Вј cup palm sugar

Вј teaspoon ground cinnamon

1ВЅ cups apple cider

2 cinnamon sticks

Вј cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

Coconut oil for greasing baking dish

Preparation

1.В В Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 375В°F. Using a vegetable peeler, remove a strip of apple peel from the top of each apple. Remove the stem and core of each apple using a melon baller, being careful not the cut all the way through the blossom end.

2.В В Place the apples in a greased eight-inch square baking dish. Divide Вј cup of the dried cranberries evenly among the apple cavities. Mix the palm sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and then sprinkle in and around the apples. Add the cider, cinnamon sticks, and the remaining Вј cup of dried cranberries to the baking dish.

3.В В Bake the apples until they are tender when pierced with a paring knife or skewer (45 to 55 minutes), brushing the apples with the cider several times during baking. (Be careful not to overbake; the apples or the skins will split.)

4.В В Transfer the apples to individual serving bowls. Pour the cooking liquid with cinnamon sticks and cranberries into a small saucepan, bring to simmer over medium-high heat, and cook until it thickens and measures about one cup (7 to 10 minutes). Spoon some of the sauce over each apple, sprinkle with the walnuts, and serve, passing the remaining sauce separately.