Maple Roasted Apples With Vanilla Ice Cream and Roasted Pecans
These apples are wonderful because they’re a slightly lighter option on the Thanksgiving dessert table, which I find especially welcome after a big meal. They’re also an ideal choice if you’re hosting the holiday because you can roast them ahead of time and warm them just before serving (you can even warm them in their roasting pan on an outdoor grill like I did one year when I ran out of oven space). I like them for breakfast the next morning, too, either cold with yogurt or smashed into a bowl of hot oatmeal. If you have guests who can’t have sugar but want something a little sweet, they even work well without the maple syrup. And if you need a vegan dessert option, olive oil or coconut oil can be used in place of the butter (and serve with nondairy ice cream). Versatility is the name of the game here.Serves 12
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 crisp apples (such as Honey-crisp or Granny Smith), cut into thick wedges and cored
- Vanilla ice cream for serving
Spread the pecans on a sheet pan and roast, stirring now and then, until browned and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Set the pecans aside to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt.
Place the apples in a large roasting pan and drizzle the maple syrup mixture over them. Use your hands to coat the apples with the mixture.
Roast the apples until they’ve softened and browned around the edges, about 30 minutes.
Serve the apples hot, warm, or at room temperature, with the syrup from the pan drizzled over the top. Top each serving with some of the pecans and plenty of ice cream.
Reprinted with permission from “Now & Again: Go-To Recipes, Inspired Menus, and Endless Ideas for Reinventing Leftovers” by Julia Turshen. Published by Chronicle Books, 2018.
