We wanted a homey apple dessert that didn’t rely on buttery pastry or loads of sugar for flavor. So we turned to roasted apples, which would allow the fruit to shine. Skillet-roasting seemed like the perfect method to get perfectly tender, bronzed apples. Since they contain a lot of liquid, we needed to drive off some moisture before we could achieve any caramelization, so we started the apples on the stovetop to jump-start their cooking. Transferring the skillet to the oven ensured even and consistent browning and fork-tender flesh. To dress up the apples, we took advantage of the flavorful browned bits left in the pan and made a dessert pan sauce; red wine, lemon juice, and pepper offered a simple but decadent profile. A bit of sugar and dried figs added sweetness and a slight chew (plus additional fiber). For more textural contrast, we sprinkled on a handful of walnuts, whose heart-healthy fats provided richness. A dollop of maple-laced Greek yogurt added a pleasant, cooling creaminess in place of traditional ice cream. We prefer Gala apples in this recipe, but Fuji will also work; just make sure to select apples that are firm. Use a medium-bodied dry red wine such as pinot noir here.
Ingredients
- ½ cup organic plain 2 percent Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons expeller-pressed canola oil
- 4 Gala apples, halved and cored
- 1¼ cups dry red wine
- ⅓ cup dried figs, chopped
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ⅔ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine yogurt and maple syrup in small bowl; refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat oil in 12-inch ovensafe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place apples, cut side down, in skillet. Cook, without moving them, until apples are just beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer skillet to oven and roast apples for 10 minutes. Being careful of hot skillet handle, flip apples and continue to roast until fork easily pierces fruit, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove skillet from oven and carefully transfer apples to serving platter. Add wine, figs, sugar, pepper, and salt to now-empty skillet and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking to scrape up any browned bits, until sauce is reduced and has consistency of maple syrup, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Off heat, stir in lemon juice. Pour sauce over apples, dollop with yogurt mixture, and sprinkle with walnuts. Serve.
| Nutrition Facts |
Serving Size 1 |
Nutritional Value Per Serving | Calories 210 kcal Calories from Fat: 81 kcal |
|
% Daily Value*
|
| Total Fat 9 g 26% |
Saturated Fat 1 g 5% |
Trans Fat 0.0 g |
Sodium 45 mg 1% |
carbohydrates 25 g 19% |
Dietary Fiber 3 g 8% |
Sugars 19 g 21% |
Protein 3 g 6% |
* Above mentioned %DVs (Percent Daily Values) are based on 2,000 calorie food intake.
DVs (Daily values) may be vary depending upon individuals daily calorie needs. Above nutritional values are estimates and should only be used as a guide for approximation. They are not allfoodchef.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average weight of 194 lbs. and ages of 19 to 50 years. |