Baked toffee apples with blackberries
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Baked toffee apples with blackberries
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Sarah Randell
Our former Food Director, and previously food editor to Delia Smith, Sarah has written more than 1000 recipes for the magazine. She is also author of Family Baking and Marmalade; A Bittersweet Cookbook among others.
Sarah Randell
Our former Food Director, and previously food editor to Delia Smith, Sarah has written more than 1000 recipes for the magazine. She is also author of Family Baking and Marmalade; A Bittersweet Cookbook among others.
Ingredients
- 6 British dessert apples or 6 small Bramley cooking apples
- 6 tbsp chopped dried apricots
- 6 tbsp roughly chopped hazelnuts
- zest of 1 large lemon
- 4 rounded tbsp light muscovado sugar
- 3-4 tbsp apple juice
- 225g blackberries
For the sauce:
- 100g butter
- 175g light muscovado sugar
- 100ml double cream
Step by step
Bake the apples a few hours ahead and reheat to serve.
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Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Core the apples or use a small sharp knife to make a nice wide hole in the middle of each apple. Put the apples in a shallow baking dish.
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Mix the apricots, nuts, most of the lemon zest and sugar. Fill each apple with the mixture – sprinkle any left over into the dish. Drizzle with the apple juice and bake for 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, in a small pan bring the sauce ingredients to simmering point. Stir until smooth; set aside.
TipHere's something a bit different for Bonfire Night, or just whenever you fancy a sweet treat. When cobnuts come into season, try them in place of the hazelnuts.
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After the 20 minutes, pour the sauce over the apples and into the dish; top the apples with the blackberries and the remaining lemon zest. Bake for a further 15-20 minutes or until tender.
