Baked Apples with Dandelion Honey Cream
This time it was used to sweeten sour cream for a quick creamy topping. We often use sour cream whipped with sugar in desserts, and sour cream is always in my fridge. Substituting honey for sugar seemed like a good idea, especially if it was an unusual honey like the one I had.
May 22, 2012
by Nadia
This simple dessert of baked apples topped with buttery crumbles and sweetened sour cream is one of those treats that you cook on the days when you hm... don't want to cook. It was one of those days for me: after digging and planting in the garden I was not inclined to cook at all (got too carried away this year with gardening projects). This dessert is simple and easy to do, but it can satisfy your sweet tooth and calm you down. I needed this badly on last weekend since Alex was away, and I usually feel uneasy on those days.
It took me about two weeks to make dandelion honey. Opposite to most of the neighborhood, we consider dandelions a blessing not just an invasive weed, so we let them be and brighten the lawn with their sunny faces. I picked up some dandelion blooms around the house and poured buckwheat honey on them to barely cover in a glass jar. Shaking the jar daily, I waited until honey blended with flower juice and acquired the pleasant grassy flavor. After two weeks it was infused with dandelion juice and pollen, and ready to enjoy. This time it was used to sweeten sour cream for a quick creamy topping. We often use sour cream whipped with sugar in desserts, and sour cream is always in my fridge. Substituting honey for sugar seemed like a good idea, especially if it was an unusual honey like the one I had. The rest was quick and easy.
What you need:
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut in small pieces
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp butter, softened + butter to grease the pan
6-7 Tbsp flour
Pinch of baking soda
Ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sour cream (not reduced fat)
2-3 Tbsp honey (dandelion honey or sugar)
Time: 1 hour
Makes 2 nice portions
Method:
The apples:
1. Grease baking dish with about 1/2 Tbsp butter.
2. Rub 2 Tbsp butter, flour and baking soda until crumbly and well incorporated.
3. Put apples in the dish, sprinkle with about 1/8 cup of sugar.
4. Sprinkle apples with butter crumble and the remaining sugar.
5. Bake at 365 F for about 40 minutes or until apples are soft and cooked through.
6. Set the oven on grill setting to add color (watch closely!)
7. Take out of the oven and give it a few dashes of ground cinnamon while hot.
The cream:
If you don't have dandelion honey, the regular honey will do, even sugar, for a simpler version.
Beat 1/2 cup cold sour cream with 2-3 Tbsp honey(dandelion honey or sugar) until creamy (sour cream should thicken a little). Chill for 15 minutes. For these quantities a mug and a tea spoon (and your hands, of course!)work best as tools to whip the sour cream.
Serve your baked apples warm or cold with chilled honey cream atop.
This simple dessert lulled me and minimized the feeling of loneliness. It stifled my fears, and let a positive mood and appreciation of solitude settle in.
Notes:
This portion of baked apples could be stretched for 4 people, if you serve it in smaller bowls or saucers. It can also be your emergency dessert in case you happen to have an unexpected avalanche of guests. To make it fancier, use whipped cream or ice cream in lieu of sour cream and honey.
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut in small pieces
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp butter, softened + butter to grease the pan
6-7 Tbsp flour
Pinch of baking soda
Ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sour cream (not reduced fat)
2-3 Tbsp honey (dandelion honey or sugar)
Time: 1 hour
Makes 2 nice portions
Method:
The apples:
1. Grease baking dish with about 1/2 Tbsp butter.
2. Rub 2 Tbsp butter, flour and baking soda until crumbly and well incorporated.
3. Put apples in the dish, sprinkle with about 1/8 cup of sugar.
4. Sprinkle apples with butter crumble and the remaining sugar.
5. Bake at 365 F for about 40 minutes or until apples are soft and cooked through.
6. Set the oven on grill setting to add color (watch closely!)
7. Take out of the oven and give it a few dashes of ground cinnamon while hot.
The cream:
If you don't have dandelion honey, the regular honey will do, even sugar, for a simpler version.
Beat 1/2 cup cold sour cream with 2-3 Tbsp honey(dandelion honey or sugar) until creamy (sour cream should thicken a little). Chill for 15 minutes. For these quantities a mug and a tea spoon (and your hands, of course!)work best as tools to whip the sour cream.
Serve your baked apples warm or cold with chilled honey cream atop.
This simple dessert lulled me and minimized the feeling of loneliness. It stifled my fears, and let a positive mood and appreciation of solitude settle in.
Notes:
This portion of baked apples could be stretched for 4 people, if you serve it in smaller bowls or saucers. It can also be your emergency dessert in case you happen to have an unexpected avalanche of guests. To make it fancier, use whipped cream or ice cream in lieu of sour cream and honey.
Summary: a easy dessert recipe
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