Used with permission from Jekka’s Herb Cookbookby Jekka McVicar (Firefly Books, 2011).
The lemon balm added to the center of the apples lends a warm lemon flavor. Serve with clotted cream, homemade custard, horseradish cream or brandy butter. SERVES 4
• 4 large Granny Smith apples
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus
• 2 tablespoons extra for dotting
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped lemon balm
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1?3 cup flaked almonds, toasted
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash and generously core the apples. Carefully, using a sharp knife, put a shallow slit in the skin, not deep into the flesh, running all the way around the apples’ diameter. Place the apples in a roasting tin.
3. Cream butter with sugar, beat in the ground almonds and stir in lemon balm, lemon zest, cinnamon and flaked almonds. Using a small spoon, put 1?4 of this mixture into each cored apple, then drizzle 1 tablespoon maple syrup over each apple, dot with butter and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes, until the apples are soft but not mushy.
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