Novel Bakery

These baked apples are juicy, cinnamony, sweet. But baked just enough to soften while firm enough to hold.

In Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer, Wes brings Tessa baked apples and “a twist of sugared dough.” But here’s the thing. Wes and Tessa are illegally running through the streets in the middle of the night, dodging guards, while they deliver medicine to townspeople.

The apples are described as “injected with honey.” And they’re still warm. They don’t sound like ideal on-the-go food. For my review of Defy the Night, I just had to try and make a version that…in theory…could travel.

Here’s a very loose recipe that’s more follow-your-heart guidelines.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Core your apples.
3. Stab the inside core and the outside of the apples with a fork or toothpick so that the honey can better be infused.
4. Melt about 1/2 cup of honey with 1 Tabelspoon of butter. Mix with a teaspoon of vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
5. Spoon the mixture over the apples, making sure to cover the core and the outside of each apple.
6. Add about 1/2 cup of apple juice, or better yet, apple cider to the bottom of the baking dish. There should be about 1/4-1/2 inch of liquid.
7. Bake the apples for about 15-20 minutes until soft enough to pierce with a fork. If you aren’t planning on running illegally through the streets of Kandala with one of these apples in your hand, you don’t need to worry about them getting too soft. Thought the slight crunch and bite if you keep them on the firmer side is nice.
8. While the apples are baking, mix 1/4 cup of sugar with 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon.
9. Remove the apples from the oven. Carefully, while the apples are still hot, stab the core with a fork and roll the apples through the cinnamon sugar mixture.
10. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes and enjoy!