After the excesses of December, these baked apples are a light, refreshing vegan pudding. The filling makes good use of any dried fruit lingering still from Christmas, and is brightened with lemon and bound with nutty tahini. As the apples bake, they turn yielding and fragrant, while the sesame oat topping crisps to a golden crown. Serve warm with a splash of cream, yoghurt or ice-cream (dairy or otherwise), and you have comfort that feels wholesome and indulgent.
Baked apples with lemon and tahini
If need be, you can make these vegan and/or dairy-free with a few simple tweaks.
Prep 5 min
Cook 1 hr 15 min
Serves 6
3 large granny smith apples
200ml apple juice
Double cream, yoghurt or vanilla ice-cream (dairy or otherwise), to serve
For the filling
70g dried fruit (any combination of raisins, figs, apricots, dates), cut into roughly the size of raisins
25g shelled pecans, chopped
25g light or dark brown sugar
30g tahini
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice
⅛ tsp flaky sea salt
For the oat and sesame crisp
25g oats
15g sesame seeds
1 tbsp olive oil, or melted coconut oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
⅛ tsp flaky sea salt
Cut the apples in half and, using a teaspoon, scoop out the cores to make a cavity about 3cm wide. Arrange the apples cut side up in a snug-fitting baking dish, then pour over half the apple juice, allowing the excess to pool around the base of the fruit.
Heat the oven to 210C (190C fan)/410F/gas 6½. To make the filling, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and toss until evenly combined. Spoon about a tablespoon of filling into each apple cavity, gently pressing it in to help it stick. Cover the dish with tinfoil, then bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix all the oat and sesame crisp ingredients in a small bowl.
After the 30 minutes are up, remove the foil cover and spoon the sesame mixture over the apples. Pour the remaining apple juice into the base of the dish, then turn down the oven to 200C (180C fan)/350F/gas 4 and return the dish uncovered to the oven for another 30 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the topping is golden. If the topping browns too quickly, loosely cover again with the foil.
Remove the apples from the oven, leave to cool slightly, then serve with cream, yoghurt or vanilla ice-cream.
