One of the hardest things about autumn is saying goodbye to soft fruit. Peaches, strawberries, raspberries and cherries finish their season, and once again apples and pears reign as kings. Fortunately the latter make great desserts when stuffed and baked. They can be baked in an oven, or in the hot coals of a campfire (if doing so bake your apples for 20 minutes, and your bananas for 15 minutes), making them the perfect food to serve on 5th November.
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Bananas:
- Preheat oven to 220oC/425oF/gas 7.
- Open up the bananas by cutting into their bellies, down the inner arch. You want to make the cut deep enough that it goes all the way through the banana flesh, but doesn’t pierce the skin on the other side.
- Smear the peanut butter inside and push in the Flake.
- Wrap the bananas separately in tin foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Serve hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Chocolate and Toffee Bananas:
1.Preheat oven to 220oC/425oF/gas 7.
2. Open up the bananas by cutting into their bellies, down the inner arch. You want to make the cut deep enough that it goes all the way through the banana flesh, but doesn’t pierce the skin on the other side.
3. Push in the toffee pieces first and then the Flake.
4. Wrap the bananas separately in tin foil and bake for 25 minutes.
5. Serve hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Spiced Honey Apples:
1. Preheat oven to 190oC/350oF/gas 4.
2. Using a curved vegetable peeler, or a small knife, remove the apple cores without taking out the bottom. Make a cavity just over an inch wide. Run a knife around the apples a third down the outside, scoring the skin. Also score some lines into the top third of the apple, spanning out from the hole like a star. Doing this will prevent the apples from losing their shape.
3. Heat a small pan over a high heat. When the pan is hot, add the spices and stir for 10-15 seconds until they start to release their flavours.
4. Tip the spices into a bowl and add the melted butter, sultanas, honey and oats. Divide the mixture into two, and stuff into the apples.
5. Over each apple sprinkle 1tsp of sugar.
6. Wrap the apples individually in tin foil and bake for 40 mins, or until soft.
7. Serve hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Mars Bar Apples:
1. Preheat oven to 190oC/350oF/gas 4.
2. Using a curved vegetable peeler, or a small knife, remove the apple cores without taking out the bottom. Make a cavity just over an inch wide. Run a knife around the apples a third down the outside, scoring the skin. Also score some lines into the top third of the apple, spanning out from the hole like a star. Doing this will prevent the apples from losing their shape.
3. In a bowl combine the melted butter, Mars Bars and oats. Divide the mixture into two, and stuff into the apples.
4. Wrap the apples individually in tin foil and bake for 40 mins, or until soft.
5. Serve hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
