SLOW-BAKED HONEYCRISP APPLES

Slow-Baked Honeycrisp Apples image

Provided by Dorie Greenspan

Categories Milk/Cream Breakfast Dessert Bake Kid-Friendly Apple Vanilla Fall Ramekin Butter Bon Appétit Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher Small Plates

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

Apples:
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of ground coriander
4 medium Honeycrisp or Fuji apples (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
Topping:
1/3 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of ground ginger
Special Equipment
8 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins

Steps:

For apples:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 300°F. Butter four 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix sugar, ginger, and coriander in small bowl. Peel apples, halve through stem end, and remove core. Slice apple halves crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Place thin layer of apple slices in each prepared custard cup, overlapping slices; brush lightly with melted butter. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon sugar mixture over each, then sprinkle very lightly with orange peel. Repeat layering apple slices, brushing with melted butter and sprinkling with sugar mixture and orange peel until all apples, butter, sugar mixture, and peel are used (there will be about 8 or more layers of apples in each custard cup and cups will be very full). Cover tops of cups with plastic wrap, then foil. Using small sharp knife, pierce 4 holes through foil and plastic wrap of each to allow steam to escape. Place cups with apple mixture on prepared baking sheet. Place 1 empty custard cup or ramekin atop each to weigh down.
Bake apple mixture until very soft and reduced in volume by about half (some of melted butter may spill out onto baking sheet), about 2 hours. Remove empty custard cups. Transfer cups with apple mixture to rack and cool at least 20 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil and refrigerate. Rewarm, uncovered, in 300°F oven until just warm, about 15 minutes.
For topping:
Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Spoon cream atop apple mixture in each cup.