Apple Puree With Crisp Apple Skin And Spiced Syrup Recipes

Steps:

• For the Filling: Mix all the ingredients together. Place into 7 to 8-ounce ramekins.
• For the Topping: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Blend the butter into the mixture until it forms pea size lumps. Stir in pecans and sprinkle over filling.
• Bake crisps for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Spread 1 cup sugar in an even layer in a 10 inch heavy skillet. Arrange apples, cut sides down, on sugar, then cover and cook over low heat, stirring sugar occasionally to ensure that it liquefies evenly (without caramelizing) and turning apples once (to other cut side), until apples are soft, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer apples with a slotted spoon to a plate to cool. Add anise to syrup in skillet and simmer 2 minutes, then transfer syrup to a bowl and cool to room temp. Discard anise. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. When apples are cool enough to handle, gently remove flesh from apple skins with a melon-ball cutter or thin edge sppon, leaving skins intact. Put apple flesh in a bowl with butter and mash with fork until pureed. Chill until cold, about 1 hour. Put apple skins on lined baking sheet, then sprinkle both sides of skins with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake until almost crisp and just caramelized, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer skins on sheet to a rack to cool. (Skins will continue to crisp as they cool.) Using 2 spoons, form a quenelle (egg-shaped mound) of chilled puree on each of 4 plates. Drizzle plates with syrup, then top with crisp apple skin.

Steps:

• Make the topping: Rub together the flour, both sugars, the spice and salt in a medium bowl. Toss in the butter and nuts to coat, then pinch the butter into the dry ingredients until no floury bits remain. Add the oats, and gently rake and squeeze them through the buttery mixture to form peanut-size crumbles. Freeze while you prepare the apples. The crumb mixture can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
• Prepare the apples: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use 1 tablespoon sugar for all sweet apples; 2 to 3 tablespoons for sweet-tart apples or a mix; and 4 tablespoons for all tart apples. Mix the sugar with the flour, spice and salt in a 10-inch cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet.
• If you'd like, peel the apples. Cut into 1/2-inch chunks, discarding the seeds and cores. Add to the skillet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon lemon juice for tart apples and 2 tablespoons for sweet-tart and sweet ones. Mix until evenly coated, then spread in an even layer. Crumble the frozen crisp mixture on top. (There will be gaps.)
• Bake until the topping is golden brown, and the apples are tender and bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool for at least 15 minutes on a rack before serving hot, warm or at room temperature.