"Many persons," observed Emeline, "are of
opinion that only sweet apples are good for bak-
ing. I, however, like a tart apple, when baked,
much better than I do a sweet one. Which do
you prefer, Kate ? And what is your method of
baking apjjles ? "
" I very much prefer sour apples. And this, I
think, is the best way of baking them : Take
large, juicy sour apples. Pare them, and remove
the cores, leaving the apples whole ; place them
in a deep earthen dish ; add to them one table-
spoonful of water ; put them in a hot oven, and
bake until perfectly soft and tender. A fcAV min-
utes before removing from the oven, sprinkle
them lightly witli white sugar. They will then
brown richly, and have a delicious flavor. Serve
warm, hot, or cold, according to taste. Most
people soon grow so fond of them as to eat them
with their meats and vegetables ; and also to take
154 COOKING AND CASTLE-BUTLDINO.
them, garnished with sugar and cream , for dessert,
in preference to either pudding or pie.
"To bake apples✪ Baked Apples whole, remove all imperfect
spots or specks ; pierce the skins in sundry places
with a fork ; place in an earthen pan or dish, and
bake in a hot oven. An apple baked quickly,
with all the heat it can bear, is very different from
one baked in a moderate oven. The' former is
spicy and full of spirit, while the latter tastes as
if all life had been worried out of it by slow tor-
ture.
"Apple sauce, as usually made, is scarcely fit
to eat ; yet, when properly prepared, it is one of
the most delicious dishes of which I have any
knowledge. Apples should always be stewed in
a porcelain-lined kettle, — never in a vessel made
of tin. Very little water should be added to
them ; and they should not be stirred, if possible
to avoid it, while cooking. They should be cov-
ered closely, and cooked quickly ; and should be
watched all the time while cooking, lest they burn.
When done, the sugar required should be put into
an earthen bowl, and the apple poured over it,
and covered closely until served. Stewed apple
that is continually stirred while cooking, is not
spicy and high-flavored, like that quickly and
quietly cooked. If desired to flavor apple sauce
with lemon, slice the lemon and put in the dish
with sugar, and pour the hot sauce upon it.
IN THE OECIIAKD. 155
Stewed prunes, flavored in the same way with
lemon, I think are much improved. Cooking
lemon damages the flavor. As a usual thing, too
much sugar is used ; so much, in fact, that all
apple flavor is lost in the heavy sweetness. To
preserve the perfect flavor of stewed apples, or
apple sauce, great care is required in the judicious
use of sugar or spices."
"By the way," said Emeline, "I have some-
where eaten a pudding made of apples and tap-
ioca, that I thought very nice. Have you ever
made it?"
Page 65 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1880. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
"Many persons," observed Emeline, "are of opinion that only sweet apples are good for baking. I, however, like a tart apple, when baked, much better than I do a sweet one. Which do you prefer, Kate ? And what is your method of baking apples ? "
" I very much prefer sour apples. And this, I think, is the best way of baking them : Take large, juicy sour apples. Pare them, and remove the cores, leaving the apples whole ; place them in a deep earthen dish ; add to them one tablespoonful of water ; put them in a hot oven, and bake until perfectly soft and tender. A few minutes before removing from the oven, sprinkle them lightly with white sugar. They will then brown richly, and have a delicious flavor. Serve warm, hot, or cold, according to taste. Most people soon grow so fond of them as to eat them with their meats and vegetables ; and also to take
them, garnished with sugar and cream for dessert, in preference to either pudding or pie.
"To bake apples whole, remove all imperfect spots or specks ; pierce the skins in sundry places with a fork ; place in an earthen pan or dish, and bake in a hot oven. An apple baked quickly, with all the heat it can bear, is very different from one baked in a moderate oven. The former is spicy and full of spirit, while the latter tastes as if all life had been worried out of it by slow torture.
"Apple sauce, as usually made, is scarcely fit to eat ; yet, when properly prepared, it is one of the most delicious dishes of which I have any knowledge. Apples should always be stewed in a porcelain-lined kettle, — never in a vessel made of tin. Very little water should be added to them ; and they should not be stirred, if possible to avoid it, while cooking. They should be covered closely, and cooked quickly ; and should be watched all the time while cooking, lest they burn. When done, the sugar required should be put into an earthen bowl, and the apple poured over it, and covered closely until served. Stewed apple that is continually stirred while cooking, is not spicy and high-flavored, like that quickly and quietly cooked. If desired to flavor apple sauce with lemon, slice the lemon and put in the dish with sugar, and pour the hot sauce upon it.
[illustration: IN THE ORCHARD. 155]
Stewed prunes, flavored in the same way with lemon, I think are much improved. Cooking lemon damages the flavor. As a usual thing, too much sugar is used ; so much, in fact, that all apple flavor is lost in the heavy sweetness. To preserve the perfect flavor of stewed apples, or apple sauce, great care is required in the judicious use of sugar or spices."
"By the way," said Emeline, "I have somewhere eaten a pudding made of apples and tapioca, that I thought very nice. Have you ever made it?"
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Baked Apples