Baked Apples 2005

From: Chef Pete Zoole, C&L Steakhouse, San Francisco.

Yield: 6 servings.

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 Tbs. roughly chopped dried cherries
3 Tbsp. chopped dried figs
2 Tbsp. roughly chopped sliced toasted almonds
2 Tbsp. roughly chopped toasted pecans
6 large firm baking apples, cored but not peeled
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1/2 cup Samuel Adams® Octoberfest beer
2 Tbsp. maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400°F. In small mixing bowl, mix brown sugar, dried fruits and nuts. Place apples in baking pan and stuff with mixture. Place piece of butter on top of stuffing. Pour beer and maple syrup into the pan and bake apples, basting every 5 minutes until tender (about 30 minutes). When apples are tender, transfer to platter. Pour pan juices into saucepan, and simmer until mixture becomes syrupy. Serve over apples.