VegetarianAlpine Italian cuisine Desserts

Gebackene Äpfel mit Nüssen

Name: Gebackene Äpfel mit Nüssen
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Alpine Italian
Ingredients: 4 piece tart baking apples (such as boskoop or renetta); 60 g Walnuts; 30 g Plain breadcrumbs; 40 g Butter; 45 g mountain honey; 0.5 tsp Ground cinnamon; 30 g raisins or sultanas; 1 tsp lemon zest; 100 ml cloudy apple juice

Gebackene Äpfel mit Nüssen, known in Italian as mele al forno con noci, are whole apples stuffed with chopped walnuts, breadcrumbs, honey, and spices, baked until tender.

🇮🇹Italy· Trentino-Alto Adige

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 295 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

4 piece tart baking apples (such as boskoop or renetta) — medium-sized, washed and dried
60 g Walnuts — finely chopped
30 g Plain breadcrumbs — fine dry crumbs
40 g Butter — melted, plus extra for greasing
45 g mountain honey — or forest honey
½ tsp Ground cinnamon — freshly ground
30 g raisins or sultanas — soaked in warm water and drained
1 tsp lemon zest — finely grated
100 ml cloudy apple juice — or water, for the baking dish

Equipment

•Apple corer or melon baller
•Small mixing bowl
•Small frying pan
•Ceramic baking dish
•Measuring spoons

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 295 kcal
fat: 14 g
carbs: 42 g
fibre: 5 g
protein: 3 g
calories: 295 kcal

Instructions

1
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
2
Grease a small ceramic baking dish lightly with butter.
3
Core the apples carefully from the top, leaving the bottom base intact to contain the stuffing.
4
Score a shallow circular line around the skin of each apple to prevent bursting.
5
Toast the breadcrumbs in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant and pale golden.
6
Mix the toasted breadcrumbs, chopped walnuts, drained raisins, honey, cinnamon, lemon zest, and melted butter in a bowl.
7
Spoon the walnut filling firmly into each apple cavity until mounded slightly at the top.
8
Place the stuffed apples upright in the prepared baking dish.
9
Pour the apple juice into the bottom of the dish around the base of the apples.
10
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the apples are tender when pierced and the nuts are lightly toasted.
11
Baste the apples once with the hot pan juices halfway through baking.
12
Rest for five minutes before serving warm with pan juices spooned over the top.

Chef's tips

Choose firm, tart apples that hold their structure well under heat, such as Boskoop or Renetta. Scoring the skin around the equator of each apple lets steam escape without splitting the fruit open.

Ingredient substitutions

walnuts → chopped hazelnuts or almonds, which are also traditional across the Alps
mountain honey → brown sugar mixed with a splash of milk to bind the crumbs

Storage

Store leftover baked apples in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat in an oven preheated to 160°C for 10 minutes or microwave on low until warmed through.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Cutting completely through the base of the apple, allowing the melted butter and honey filling to escape.
•Using soft eating apples that collapse into purée before the filling has a chance to bake through.