Stuffed apples with crumble
- Preparation 35 min
- Cooking 25 min
- Servings 4
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🍎 The fall dessert that melts everyone
These stuffed apples with crumble are the kind of dessert that makes you smile from the first bite. A whole apple baked in the oven, hollowed out and filled with a crispy crumble with pecans, oats and brown sugar that caramelizes while cooking. The tender apple flesh meets the granular texture of the crumble, all crowned with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that melts slowly and a drizzle of maple syrup cascading down in golden streams. It’s simple, comforting and absolutely delicious. The kind of recipe you pull out for fall evenings, gatherings with friends or simply when you want to treat yourself without restraint.
🔥 A spectacular dessert with zero complication
The beauty of this recipe is that it only requires a bit of patience to hollow out the apples and a few minutes to assemble the crumble. No dough to roll, no stressful timing, just simple ingredients that transform into magic in the oven. Toasted pecans bring a smoky depth of flavor, oats give that irresistible rustic texture, and cold butter creates those little crispy pockets that make all the difference. Served hot with cold ice cream, these stuffed apples become a moment of pure bliss.
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🔪 Dry toast the pecans before incorporating them
This simple 1 to 2 minute gesture in the pan completely transforms the pecans. The heat releases their natural oils and develops smoky and caramelized aromas that raw pecans simply don’t have. This depth of flavor spreads throughout the crumble and takes the dessert from ordinary to memorable.
🌡️ Choose apples that hold up well when baking
Spartan, Cortland or Honeycrisp keep their structure in the oven without becoming mushy. Apples that are too soft like McIntosh collapse and lose their shape, which ruins the presentation. An apple that holds well creates that perfect contrast between tender flesh and crunchy crumble.
⏱️ Don’t hollow out the apples too much
Keeping about ½ inch (1.5 cm) of flesh on the walls and bottom prevents apples from cracking or collapsing during cooking. A hole that’s too deep weakens the structure and risks having juice and crumble leak out of the apple. It’s the balance between filling capacity and solidity.
❄️ Use really cold butter for the crumble
Cold butter cut into mini-cubes stays in distinct little pockets that melt in the oven and create that crispy texture characteristic of crumble. Softened butter mixes too evenly with the flour and gives a compact and heavy topping rather than grainy and airy.
🔥 Let rest before serving
These 2 minutes of rest allow the apples to firm up slightly and the crumble to set without becoming hard. Serving immediately out of the oven risks burning mouths and the topping will be too soft to hold well. This small downtime guarantees perfect texture at service.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) pecans, coarsely chopped
- 4 large whole Spartan apples
- ¼ cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) quick-cooking oat flakes
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) brown sugar + 2 tsp for the top
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) cold butter, cut into mini-cubes
- Vanilla ice cream (for serving)
- Maple syrup (for serving)
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Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a pan heated over medium heat, dry toast the pecans for 1 to 2 minutes to bring out the flavors. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Cut a slice about ½ inch (1.5 cm) from the top of the apples. Hollow out the inside to remove the core and enough flesh to create a good bowl (the hole should be about 3 inches / 8 cm in diameter). Be careful to keep the edges intact. Cut the removed flesh into small cubes to have ⅓ cup (80 ml).
- In a large bowl, combine the apple flesh cubes, flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, butter (reserve a few cubes) and pecans. Fill the apples with this mixture and place the reserved butter cubes on top. Sprinkle ½ tsp brown sugar on each apple.
- Place apples on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the topping is golden and the apples are tender. Let rest 2 minutes. Garnish with ice cream and drizzle with maple syrup.
Yes. Cortland, Honeycrisp or Granny Smith work very well. Avoid McIntosh which become too soft. Choose firm apples that keep their shape when baking for optimal results.
Yes, prepare the hollowed apples and crumble mixture separately up to 4 hours in advance. Store in the fridge, then fill and bake when ready to serve. Don’t assemble too early as the crumble would get soggy.
Absolutely. Walnuts, sliced almonds or chopped hazelnuts work well. Always dry toast the nuts before using them to develop their aromas and crispiness.
Don’t hollow them too deeply and watch the cooking. If apples start to crack, reduce temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue cooking gently.
Not recommended. The texture of cooked apple doesn’t survive freezing and thawing well. The crumble becomes soggy and the apple flesh watery. This dessert deserves to be prepared and enjoyed the same day.
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