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Spiced Brown-Butter Apples

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Spiced Brown-Butter Apples are a decadent dessert featuring tender apples infused with nutty brown butter, warm spices, and topped with toasted pecans, making for the perfect fall treat.

Ingredients

6 small Pink Lady apples (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), halved lengthwise

1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing baking dish

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice

2 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Vanilla ice cream or heavy cream, for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter.
  2. In a medium saucepan, melt 1/4 cup of butter over medium heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately.
  3. Cut the Pink Lady apples in half lengthwise, remove the cores, and place the halves in the greased baking dish, cut side up.
  4. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, nutmeg, Chinese five-spice, brown sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the apples.
  5. Drizzle the browned butter over the apples, making sure each half is well coated.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the apples are tender and slightly caramelized, basting with the butter mixture halfway through.
  7. While the apples bake, toast the chopped pecans in a small skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and slightly golden. Remove from heat.
  8. Once the apples are done, remove them from the oven and sprinkle with toasted pecans.
  9. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of heavy cream.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.

If you don’t have Chinese five-spice, you can substitute with ground allspice or cloves.

Feel free to use other nuts like walnuts or almonds if preferred.

You can use other apple varieties like Honeycrisp or Fuji for a different flavor.

For a caramelized finish, broil the apples for the last 2-3 minutes of baking.

If you prefer a nut-free version, you can skip the pecans or substitute with granola or whipped cream.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://familydinnercooking.com/spiced-brown-butter-apples/