flipBratapfel — baked apple stuffed with almonds and honey
Bratapfel — baked apple stuffed with almonds and honey
Why this dish? A universal winter dessert in German homes, the Bratapfel is made with apples stored in the cellar until spring. Hot, sweet, and comforting, it was the family 'little remedy' against cold evenings and colds — exactly the homely spirit Wegener returned to between expeditions.
A cored apple, stuffed with almonds, raisins, honey, and cinnamon, then roasted until soft and caramelized. The contrast of sweetness and the apple's acidity is its charm.
When the children cough and the stove roars, we put a few apples from the cellar into the oven. We core them, stuff the heart with pounded almonds, raisins, and a spoonful of honey, and wait until the skin splits and the juice sings in the dish. We serve them piping hot, almost compote-like under the wrinkled skin. An honest sweetness, which warms and consoles better than any potion.
- •Keeping apples — one per person (base)
- •Almonds — a handful (stuffing)
- •Raisins — a handful (stuffing, sweetness)
- •Honey — a spoonful per apple (sweetness)
- •Cinnamon — a pinch (spice)
- •Butter — a hazelnut-sized piece (softness)
Bratapfel — baked apple stuffed with almonds and honey
A cored apple, stuffed with almonds, raisins, honey, and cinnamon, then roasted until soft and caramelized. The contrast of sweetness and the apple's acidity is its charm.
Why this dish? A universal winter dessert in German homes, the Bratapfel is made with apples stored in the cellar until spring. Hot, sweet, and comforting, it was the family 'little remedy' against cold evenings and colds — exactly the homely spirit Wegener returned to between expeditions.
When the children cough and the stove roars, we put a few apples from the cellar into the oven. We core them, stuff the heart with pounded almonds, raisins, and a spoonful of honey, and wait until the skin splits and the juice sings in the dish. We serve them piping hot, almost compote-like under the wrinkled skin. An honest sweetness, which warms and consoles better than any potion.
Ingredients (period version)
- Keeping apples — one per person (base)
- Almonds — a handful (stuffing)
- Raisins — a handful (stuffing, sweetness)
- Honey — a spoonful per apple (sweetness)
- Cinnamon — a pinch (spice)
- Butter — a hazelnut-sized piece (softness)
Ingredients
- Apples (Boskoop or Reinette) — 4 (base)
- Slivered or ground almonds — 60 g (stuffing)
- Raisins — 40 g (sweetness)
- Honey — 4 tbsp (sweetness)
- Cinnamon — 1 tsp (spice)
- Butter — 20 g (softness)
- Rum (optional) — 1 tbsp (flavor for raisins)
Method
- Soak the raisins in hot water or rum for 10 min.
- Wash the apples, remove the core without piercing the bottom to form a well.
- Mix almonds, drained raisins, half the honey, and cinnamon; fill the apple cavities.
- Top each with a nut of butter, drizzle with remaining honey, place in a dish with a little water.
- Bake at 180°C for 25-35 min until the apples are soft and golden. Serve hot, drizzled with the pan juices.
How it was made : Before central heating, the Bratapfel cooked directly on the top plate of the wood or coal stove that heated the room. Keeping apples, stored in the cellar on slatted shelves, were one of the few fruits available all winter in northern Germany.
The contemporary twist : Served open-faced on a spoonful of cold crème fraîche and a caramelized almond shard, 'iceberg on volcano' style.
Alfred Wegener · Charactorium
