A Most Delicious Baked Apple Dessert!

With a big nod to my friend Julie Fenn, who brought these to a potluck recently!

Really super simple, too...tart apples are best, I think.  I'd love to have found Jonathans, but Braeburns were good too.

Core your apples and enlarge the holes somewhat so you have room for stuffing them...

Mix raisins with cinnamon (and any other spice that suits your fancy) and stuff the holes in the apples.

Add a drizzle of maple syrup or honey or a tsp. of brown or raw sugar--you can substitute Xylitol or Splenda if you MUST, but it won't be quite the same...

Top with a spoonful of butter--the real thing.  We use Kerrygold unsalted butter from Ireland, it's delicious and they treat their cows much better, without hormones, etc.

I used a pinch of Joseph's pumpkin pie spice on top of the butter, then baked at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes, more or less.  (Test for doneness by poking with a knife or fork, they should be soft.)

Let cool a bit and top with cream if you wish...spoon any juices from the pan over the apples, it's luscious.  I don't miss crust or pastry in the least!

And these are wonderful warm or cold...