INGREDIENTS:
- 4 Fuji apples
- Filling
- 1/4 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
- 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup currants (optional)
- 1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)
- 1 Tbsp butter, divided into 4 pieces
- 1 cup hot water
- Sauce
- 1 (14 oz) can dulce de leche
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Insert an apple corer about 2/3 in center of each apple. Remove center and discard. Using a melon baller, make a cavity in each apple to allow for about 3 teaspoons filling.
To make the filling, in a bowl, add brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla, currants, if using, and pecans, if using, and stir to combine. Fill 1 apple with filling until full to top over bowl of filling. Place filled apple in an 8” x 8” baking pan. Repeat with remaining apples. Place 1 piece of butter on each apple. Cover apples with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered until a paring knife easily slides in and out of apple, another 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make sauce, in a glass measuring cup, add dulce de leche, cream, and salt and stir until incorporated. Transfer to a saucepan over low heat and warm sauce. Serve with baked apples.