Bruce's Baked Apples

Ingredients
Mix/Stuffing:
1 apple (6 oz./Granny Smith Golden Delicious)
5 tbl. unsalted butter for mix
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 chopped pecans (toast/optional)
3 tbl. old fashioned oats
1 tsp. orange zest
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
6 apples (6 oz. each/Granny Smith Golden Delicious)
Sauce:
1 tbl. unsalted butter
1/3 cup apple cider
1/3 cup maple syrup
Directions
1. One apple, peel, core and dice (cut into ¼ inch pieces)
2. Six apples , cut off small section of blossom end (dispose)
3. Cut ½ inch off top (“Apple Caps” - set aside and reserve)
4. Peel outer layer of apples
5. Core out apples with melon baller and leave ½ inch perimeter outer and bottom areas
6. Melt butter in skillet on medium heat and caramelize tops of apples (approx. 3 minutes)
7. Turn down heat to low and rotate apples, “pile” mix/stuffing in cored apples
8. Add apple cider and maple syrup to skillet for sauce
9. Cover apples with “Apple Caps”
10. Bake at 375 Degrees, rack on middle position, 35 to 40 minutes
11. Spoon with sauce every 10 minutes while baking
12. Test apple with a toothpick until tender
13. Drizzle sauce over apple before serving (if thick add more cider)
14. Remove “Apple Cap” and serve with Vanilla Ice Cream
See America’s Test Kitchen for demonstration: