Christmas Special: Baked Apples

Hello my dears!

First: I wish you all a happy new year! *~ ^.^

It was very stressy, again, but I hope I'll find the time to make something extravagant soon!

So here is my 'not so special' - Special. These are just apples, but really delicious and quite rich... :) And I tried to make some nice photos, but... the apples just don't look so great. I did the best I could, and maybe you'll try these, because they are easy and tasty!

Here is what you need for 6 people:
6 large apples à ca 160g
80g butter
80g sugar
80-120g ground nuts (It depends on the size and you can use whatever you want. I used ground hazelnuts and almonds.)
3 cinnamon sticks
5 star anise
runny honey :)

First, you cut the cores out of the apples and melt the butter. (And wash the apples before you core them :)!)
Mix together the sugar the the ground nuts on a flat plate. Place the melted butter on an other flat plate.
Roll the apples in the butter and then in the sugar-nuts mixture and place them in a baking dish.
Break the cinnamon sticks into two halves and place one half in each apple. Sprinkle the star anise on top and then pour honey over all. (Well, don't use too much honey, just make about two or three circles on each apple.)
Bake them for 45-50 minutes on 200°C. You can serve them with vanilla ice cream ^.^ !

With best regards,

Francine

Christmas Cupcakes: Apple and Cinnamon

 Hello my dears!

I'm sorry I didn't post for so long, but everything is very stressful at the moment. I scarcely had time to bake... but finally I managed to make some Cupcakes! ^.^

I try to avoid wheat and use spelt instead because it's much healthier. So the following recepies will be with spelt flour but you can replace it with wheat flour easily.

I baked apple cinnamon cupcakes with honey buttercream.

What you need for the dough (to make 28 cupcakes):

400g spelt flour

250g butter

280g sugar

4 eggs

10ml milk

4 apples

1,5 tablespoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons baking powder

First you mix everything together except the apples, cinnamon and lemon zest.

Wash the apples and then grate them. In a seperate bowl stir together the grated apples, the cinnamon and the lemon zest. Add it to the dough and then fill into cupcake papers.

Bake for 15-20minutes (or until a fine skewer comes out clean) on 180°C.

To make the frosting:

250g butter

600g icing sugar

6 tablespoons clear honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3-5 tablespoons milk

Just mix it all together, and then you can use food coloring for the 'christmas'-look! :)

I topped the cupcakes by piping and then I added apple slices (which were dipped in lemon juice to avoid a browm colour) and I spread some red glitter on top <3

Finally I want to ask you wether you have any idea what I shall serve at christmas diner?! Last year we had pears in punsch with cranberries which was really delicious! 

I am looking forward to your advices! ^.^

With best regards,

Francine