Jewish · Authentic-ish Jewish
Baked Apples
129 kcal a serving, against 372 for the traditional version. That is 243 kcal off, or 65%, with 3.8g of protein. Serves 4. 1 hour.
What the traditional version is
Apples are cored and stuffed with a mix of raisins, chopped dates or apricots, soft brown sugar, and plenty of butter. The whole lot is dusted with cinnamon, then the dish is dotted with more butter. Sometimes a splash of sweet wine joins in. Baked till soft and bubbling, then served warm with juices spooned over and double cream for those with a healthy sense of tradition.
What changed, and what each change costs
Out goes the butter, in comes water. The dried fruit stuffing gets a haircut: just raisins, and no sugar or chopped dates.
Nearly all the richness and calories are coming from the butter and sugar. Water acts as the liquid for baking, so the apples steam and go soft, but don't create that glossy caramel pool. Raisins are chewy and sweet enough for a centrepiece.
What it costs you. There's no caramel sauce at the bottom of the dish and none of the buttery luxury. It's basically a warm apple and some raisins. If that sounds tragic, it might be, but the apples are still comforting and the kitchen still smells like a Friday night. If you want to drown it in cream, well, that's up to you.
Drop the double cream on the side
Cream makes everything better, but if I'm trimming fat there's no room for it. Try a spoon of fat-free Greek yoghurt if you want something tangy and cool.
What it costs you. It's not remotely the same. Cream is the first thing you miss, but give it a chance with the yoghurt before you write nasty emails.
Cinnamon stays, but goes up slightly to 5g
With less sweetness and no butter to carry it, the spice does more work. I found that a bit more cinnamon stops the apples tasting just like plain baked fruit.
What it costs you. If you don't like an assertive cinnamon pong, use less. This is unapologetically cinnamon-forward.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 372 | 129 |
| Protein | 2g | 3.8g |
| Fat | 21.3g | 0.4g |
| Saturated fat | 13.3g | 0.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 46.7g | 30.7g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 0.5g | 3g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Jewish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. milk, sulphites.
The method is in the book
The original baked apple is a pudding with a buttery caramel pool at its feet. This isn't that, it's a warm fruit with raisins. It's honest, light and gives your house the right Friday night smell, but nobody will be asking for it as a birthday treat. If you're craving the real thing, go old-school and have the butter now and then. Otherwise, it's a way to finish a meal without feeling weighed down. Cream is the first thing you'll miss, but the apples themselves don't suffer too much.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Jewish, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.