Baked Apple Recipe
- 1 small apple (1/4 lb) such as Empire, McIntosh, or Gala
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 450°F.
- Peel and core apple, leaving it whole, then turn it on its side and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Reassemble to form a whole apple and brush with some of lemon juice. Put apple into a shallow 4-inch round or oval baking dish.
- Stir together butter, jam, brandy, brown sugar, allspice, and remaining lemon juice in a small bowl. Spoon 2 teaspoons of mixture into core of apple. Pour rest of mixture over outside of apple and bake, basting once or twice, 25 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F, then insert cinnamon stick into core of apple and bake, basting frequently, until apple is tender and well browned and juices are thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes more.
