Baked Apples

from The Cook’s Bible
Serves 4

½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (Double it for powdered nutmeg. – Kris)
1-1/2 cups apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon zest
4 apples such as Northern Spy, Macoun, Cortland or Idared, washed and dried

1) Heat oven to 350F. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix together the cider, vanilla, and lemon zest. Core apples without cutting through the bottom, using either an apple corer or melon baller. (I used a teaspoon. – Kris) Peel top of apple, leaving a 1-inch-wide band. Place apples in a baking dish and fill cores with sugar mixture. Pour cider mixtures into baking dish. Cover dish with aluminum foil.

2) Bake apples for 30 minutes, basting with cider once or twice. Pierce the largest apple with a small pairing knife to see if it is tender. Continue baking until done. (Baking time can vary a great deal depending on the type and size of apple, from 40 to 60 minutes.) Serve warm.