In the winter, I suddenly find all of my favorite fruit desserts—smoothies, sorbets, frozen yogurts—completely unappealing; just the thought makes my teeth hurt and makes me want to curl up in a blanket. So besides just eating fruit as nature intended, well-rinsed and with a napkin to catch all the juices, I rely on a few simple recipes to transform plain fruit into warm, healthy desserts. Of these, nothing is simpler or easier than apples baked in the microwave.

I’ve been baking apples in the microwave ever since I saw the recipe in Adventures in Microwave Cooking, the book that came with my first Montgomery Ward microwave. (Yes, I just needlessly dated myself.) The original recipe called for only three ingredients besides apples: cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter. Over the years I’ve found that only the cinnamon is necessary; there are better-tasting sweeteners than brown sugar and absolutely no reason to use butter or margarine.

My standard recipe contains raisins, cinnamon, maple or date syrup, and sometimes chopped nuts, but lately I’ve come to love filling the apples with frozen berries, especially blueberries. Using frozen rather than fresh ensures that the berries won’t become overcooked before the apple is done. To retain juices and keep the apple as moist as possible, I remove most of the core from the apple, creating a cavity but leaving the bottom intact; the aroma and flavor of the berries permeates the apple from the inside out.

My favorite apples for baking are the same as my favorite for eating, Honeycrisp, which are very sweet and hold their shape well when cooked. Granny Smiths are too tart, and other red apples I’ve tried dissolve too easily into mush. If you can’t find Honeycrisp, use the crispest type of apple you can find. And remember, microwaves vary in strength, so you may have to experiment to find the time that is right for yours. But when your experiments fill your kitchen with the scent of apples and cinnamon and you get to sit down to a sweet, tender baked apple in a matter of minutes, you probably won’t mind testing a few apples to get it just right.

Print 5 from 8 votes Add to Recipe BoxGo to Recipe Box Raisin-Filled Baked Apple To cook more than one apple at a time, increase the cooking time by about 1 minute per extra apple. And remember, microwaves vary so yours may take a little less or more time. Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 5 minutes Total Time 15 minutes Servings 1 Author Susan Voisin Ingredients 1 medium apple 1 medium apple

1 tablespoon raisins 1 tablespoon raisins

about 1/16 teaspoon cinnamon about 1/16 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons maple syrup (or other sweetener) 2 teaspoons maple syrup (or other sweetener) Instructions Place raisins in a heat-proof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Allow them to soak until plump (time will depend upon the age of your raisins) and remain in soaking liquid until you are ready to cook.

Wash an apple and remove most of the core, leaving about 1/4-inch at the bottom. Remove a thin strip of peel from around the cavity. Place the apple into a deep microwave-safe baking dish or bowl. Sprinkle the inside with a little cinnamon and fill with drained raisins. Pour a teaspoon of the soaking water over the raisins and drizzle the syrup over the raisins and top of the apple.

Microwave, uncovered, on high power until apple is tender, 3-5 minutes, testing with a fork after 3 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. (Caution: Inside can be very hot, so do let them cool before eating.) Notes Variation: Add chopped pecans or walnuts along with raisins. Nutrition Facts Raisin-Filled Baked Apple Amount Per Serving (1 apple) Calories 134 % Daily Value* Sodium 3.6mg 0% Carbohydrates 35.4g 12% Fiber 3.7g 15% Sugar 27.7g 31% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Tried this recipe? Post a photo to Instagram and tag @susanffvk

Print 5 from 8 votes Add to Recipe BoxGo to Recipe Box Blueberry-Filled Baked Apple To cook more than one apple at a time, increase the cooking time by about 1 minute per extra apple. And remember, microwaves vary so yours may take a little less or more time. Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 5 minutes Total Time 15 minutes Servings 1 Author Susan Voisin Ingredients 1 medium apple 1 medium apple

2 tablespoons frozen unsweetened blueberries (not thawed) 2 tablespoons frozen unsweetened blueberries (not thawed)

about 1/16 teaspoon cinnamon about 1/16 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons agave nectar (or other sweetener) 2 teaspoons agave nectar (or other sweetener) Instructions Wash an apple and remove most of the core, leaving about 1/4-inch at the bottom. Remove a thin strip of peel from around the cavity. Place the apple into a deep microwave-safe baking dish or bowl. Sprinkle the inside with a little cinnamon and fill with frozen blueberries. Drizzle the syrup over the filling and top of the apple.

Cover the dish with lid or plastic wrap. Microwave until apple is tender, 3-5 minutes, testing with a fork after 3 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. (Caution: Inside can be very hot, so do let them cool before eating.) Nutrition Facts Blueberry-Filled Baked Apple Amount Per Serving (1 apple) Calories 112 % Daily Value* Sodium 2.7mg 0% Carbohydrates 29.3g 10% Fiber 3.7g 15% Sugar 23.1g 26% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Tried this recipe? Post a photo to Instagram and tag @susanffvk

Note: You can cook these in the microwave in about 5 minutes, but if that’s not an option, place them in a baking dish, add enough water to cover the bottom, and bake at 375F for about 45 minutes.











