Stuffed Apples Baked in Brandy, Topped With Sweet Ricotta Cream

Feast Your Eyes!'s Note:

Take the chill off of winter evenings with this warm, creamy-sweet combination of ricotta cheese, cranberries and brandied apples. It makes the the perfect sweet ending to your next meal.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 35 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

Ricotta Cream

• 8 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or 2 tablespoons other orange-flavored liqueur
• finely grated lemon zest from 1 small lemon

Baked Apples

• 6 large apples (Good Choices ( Golden Delicious, Rome, Cortland)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon apple brandy

Directions:

1. Ricotta Cream:.
2. In a small bowl add the ricotta cheese, cinnamon, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and liqueur; mix well until well blended and smooth. Refrigerate.
3. Baked Apples:.
4. Place rack in the center position of oven.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Wash apples well; core. Peel off the skin around the top, leaving two-thirds of the apple unpeeled.
7. Hollow out about a 1 1/2-inch wide by 2 1/2-inch deep cavity in the center of each apple (a grapefruit spoon works well for this). Score the apples with the tip of a knife to prevent them from bursting while baking.
8. Place the apples in a 9-inch oven-proof glass pie dish.
9. Mix together the dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and butter in a small bowl. Blend well.
10. Evenly fill the apples with the cranberry/walnut filling.
11. Pour the 3/4 cup of apple brandy around the apples. If necessary, add water so that the liquid comes about 1-inch up the sides of the apples.
12. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of apple brandy evenly over the filling in the apples.
13. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the apples are tender.
14. Serve warm, topped with a generous dollop of the sweet ricotta cream and a sprinkling of lemon zest.