This recipe is a variation on an 18th century culinary delight called “Black Caps” It is the simplest thing in the world and is open to any little additions or substitutions you can imagine. The basic concept: take apple, add stuff, bake. What could be nicer or cheaper? You will see why the original name came into being when you take your batch out of the oven.
DIFFICULTY 1/5
INGREDIENTS
- 2large Bramley apples, or tart apples of some sort. Core, peel and quarter these
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 20ml Irish whiskey (about a tablespoon)
- a little butter or oil
- a little brown sugar
RECIPE
1.
Heat oven to 350 F
2.
Oil your Nicholas Mosse square baking dish and place your prepared apples in it as nicely as they will allow. Sprinkle raw apple with the whiskey. Then evenly pour over the maple syrup. Take a little pinch of brown sugar and dab a bit onto each apple piece and pop into your preheated oven.
3.
After 20 minutes, check and baste with juices in bottom of dish. Cook for another 10 minutes or so until the tops are done to your desire.
In earlier ‘antique’ recipes, red wine, lemon, sugar, cloves, cinnamon were all used: not necessarily together! But feel free to substitute the maple syrup with a sugar and water or wine mixture. Personal taste comes first always!