Apples are very versatile—they work well with a variety of nuts, spices, and natural sweeteners. Rome Beauty apples hold up especially well during baking. Here, pecans, vanilla, and dark brown sugar create a winning combination of flavors in skillet-baked apples, irresistible served warm from the oven.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4

　　4 thick-skinned, mildly sweet apples, such as Rome Beauty or McIntosh

　　3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

　　1/2 large vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved

　　1/8 teaspoon salt

　　2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted (page 53) pecans, plus more for sprinkling

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F. Using a cylindrical apple corer, core apples three-quarters of the way down. Arrange apples snugly in an ovenproof skillet or a loaf pan.

　　

Step 2

Stir together sugar, butter, vanilla-bean seeds, and the salt in a small bowl. Divide sugar mixture among apples (about 2 teaspoons each); sprinkle evenly with nuts. Bake until apples are soft, about 1 hour. Serve warm with pan syrup spooned on top.

　　

Nutrition Information

Step 3

(Per Serving)

　　

Step 4

Calories: 187

　　

Step 5

Saturated Fat: 3.8g

　　

Step 6

Unsaturated Fat: 3.9g

　　

Step 7

Cholesterol: 15mg

　　

Step 8

Carbohydrates: 28.8g

　　

Step 9

Protein: .7g

　　

Step 10

Sodium: 66mg

　　

Step 11

Fiber: 3.6g

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