I used to mix a batch of butter/brown sugar/cookie crumb filling, freeze it flat, then cut it into batons so whenever I wanted to bake an apple I could pop a frozen baton into a cored apple. More recently, I stuff the cavity with Trader Joe’s Maple Pecan Just the Clusters granola, dribble dark maple syrup over the stuffing (about 1 tsp per), and top with a half tsp or so of butter. This is my new favorite, regardless of apple type although I am especially enjoying an as-yet-unnamed variety I was sent for taste testing.
I bake about 45 minutes at 350°F convection but think the microwave does a good job baking most apple varieties.
Then there"s subbing halved firm apples instead of pears in Jacques Pepin’s luscious recipe for braised pears in caramel sauce.
