The easy baked apple recipe is great for fine tuning knife and seasoning skills - so it's perfect for kid chefs.
Apple picking is a family favorite activity this time of year. And so is making apple pie. But what to do with the rest of the apples? Get the kids in the kitchen and roast them up.
The key here is to mix the tart and sweet flavors of all those apple varieties. Granny smith has a signature tartness ideal for baking. Paired with a sweet honey crisp, gala or fuji, and you’ve got an apple bake that hits all the flavor profiles.
Peeling apples is actually one of the more challenging tasks for kids at Green Apron Kitchen. Trusting yourself with a sharp peeler is a daunting task for kid chefs as is holding an apple in place while peeling. We recommend having them place the apple on a wooden cutting board or table and peeling down from the stem of the apple to the root. Then cutting off the head and tail after peeling. More confident chefs can hold the apple in their hand and peel away from the body. Next, slice the apple into segments, removing the core. Setting the apples into a bit of lemon juice will preserve their flavor and also prevent discoloration.
Once baked you can serve it as is with ice cream, whipped cream or sweetened ricotta cheese. Or save it and mix some in with your morning oatmeal or yogurt. This filing is also ideal for making apple hand pies.
Ingredients
8-10 apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 bay leaves
3 longs peels of orange zest
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup apple juice or apple cider
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons of cornstarch or arrowroot
2 tablespoons cinnamon
½ tablespoon fresh grated ginger
Directions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 300 F.
Step 2: In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with fresh lemon juice to avoid discoloration. Place in a rectangular baking pan and set aside.
Step 3: Using a large saucepan over high heat, combine 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 orange zest pieces, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup apple juice or apple cider and 1/2 cup light brown sugar. Bring to a boil.
Step 4: Pour boiling mixture over apples. Stir in the cinnamon, ginger.
Take out an apple slice and have your kid chef taste. Does it need a pinch of salt, spice, more cinnamon? Add as desired. Add arrowroot or cornstarch and cover with foil.
Step 5: Bake for 30 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and foil. Cool to room temperature. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.