From the moment I saw this recipe in a Spanish cooking magazine last week, I knew I would try to re-create it as soon as I’d get back home. Those baked apples were so cute-looking and without doubt tasty too – I made two for our dessert today and even Juanpi, not a fan of baked apples, enjoyed his portion with much delight! Enough said, let us head for the recipe. 

1. You will need 2 apples, suitable for baking (I used Topaz apples), 1 Tbsp chopped pine nuts, 1 Tbsp raisins (soaked in a bit of rum – if you like), a dash of ground cinnamon, 1 Tbsp cane sugar and 1 Tbsp butter at room temperature. For the “eyes”: 4 pine nuts and a piece of dark chocolate. In addition: pine nuts and raisins for the plate decoration.

2. Wash and dry the apples, make a horizontal cut to remove the “cap” of the apples, then remove the cores using an apple corer – if you have it – or simply a paring knife.
3. For the filling: mix together the chopped pine nuts, sugar, cinnamon, raisins and butter.

4. Make a few zig-zag cuts to the open apples, then fill the apple holes with the mix and cover with the “cap”. Transfer the apples carefully onto a buttered pan and place in the preheated oven (200ºC) for half an hour.

5. Melt the piece of chocolate and “paint” the upper part of the 4 pine nuts with it – wait for the chocolate to dry (I skipped the waiting because I was a bit short on time, but I really advice you to let them dry), then stick the “eyes” gently in each apple.
6. Place the Halloween apples on a serving plate, decorate with some apple liquid (from baking), pine nuts and raisins. Serve warm (preferably).

These Halloween apples were really, really tasty, apart from looking so lovely! The original recipe uses almonds but I opted for pine nuts that I brought from Spain. Mmmm, what a treat!