Crane's Bakes Stuffed Apples

Baked apples are so simple that I like to bake them once a week while apples are good.  Choose any apple except Red Delicious. Michigan-grown Ida Reds, Jonagolds and Fuji are just a few of my favorites for baking. Do not leave out on the nuts! This is best warm out of the oven, so put it in before you sit down to dinner and serve it with a scoop of Palazzolo’s Gelato for dessert.  Get ready for applause!
 
Yield: 10 servings
Time: 1 hour 10 min
 
Ingredients:
3 T butter
1 t orange zest
1 t lemon zest
1 t grated fresh ginger
1/8 t salt
¼ c Crane’s Cider Syrup
¼ c brown sugar
1 cup nuts chopped in smaller pieces; can be walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts or a combo
½ c Crane’s dried tart cherries plumped up in hot water or cognac or bourbon; drain
10 Michigan baking apples washed and cored; skins left on
 
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat together the first seven ingredients until smooth.  Stir in the nuts and the cherries until well incorporated. 
Step 2
Fill centers of apples with 2 or 3 T filling and place apples in a large, shallow baking dish and place in the center of the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Cover apples with foil and bake until apples are soft- about another 20 minutes.