Serves 6 to 8
• 6 to 8 large baking apples
• ⅔ cup flour
• ⅔ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup butter
• grated rind of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• ½ cup chopped raisins
• ¼ cup brandy
• ¼ cup curaçao
• ¼ cup water
• heavy cream, well chilled
1. Core the apples, cutting out a generous round cavity in each one but not breaking through the bottom.
2. Mix together the flour and brown sugar and cut in the butter with a pastry blender or work it in with your fingers. Add the lemon rind, cinnamon, nutmeg, and raisins and mix thoroughly. Stuff the apples with this mixture.
3. Arrange the apples in a medium-sized, shallow casserole. Combine the brandy, curaçao, and water, and pour the liquid over the apples.
4. Bake the apples in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, basting them with the liquid every 6 or 7 minutes.
5. The filling will puff up and form hard little caps on top where the sugar caramelizes. When you take the apples out of the oven, let them cool for about 15 minutes, then cut the stiff, dark-brown sugar crusts off of the filling, leaving just the soft, tender part. Spoon any remaining liquid over the warm apples. Serve them either warm or cool, with heavy cream.
