Crisp-Filled Apples

Happy new year! I figure, new year, new recipe, new blog post - let's see how long I can keep this up!

After a month of Chanukah parties, family holiday gatherings, work events, volunteer events, travel, huge Shabbos meals, New Year's parties, and more, I was D-O-N-E. I spent my final day before heading back to work after the long New Year's weekend wandering the aisles of the grocery store, before heading home and cooking for a few hours, and finally eating the fruits of my labor - literally! - while watching Real Housewives and Downton Abbey. What did YOU do that sounds any better??

I don't always have one, but yesterday, my sweet tooth was out in full force. I wanted to bake something warm and comforting to battle the snow and arctic blast that are heading our way this week. But, being that it's right after New Year's, and there are all these resolution shmesolutions, I wanted something that seemed a little healthier. So fruit, specifically, baked apples, sounded perfect to me! But then I kinda mucked it all up (and by "mucked it all up," I mean that I made it infinitely more tasty!) by adding brown sugar and oats and margarine and cinnamon and all the best parts of an apple crisp, stuffed inside a hollowed-out apple, baked with a gooey caramel sauce on the bottom, served it warm and steamy, and topped it all off with a nice scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt (because, moderation) on top. And: scene.

Fresh out of the oven, all hot and crackly and bubbly

The perfect crisp-filled apple

Check out that baby sliced open - filled with all that crisp topping. It's the perfect bite, every time!

Crisp-Filled Apples
serves 4

Crumb topping:
4 tbsp. margarine, room temperature
3/4 cup oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon

4 apples
1 tbsp. margarine
Sprinkle of cinnamon
1/2 cup water

Caramel syrup:
3 tbsp. margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1. Make the crumb topping: combine all topping ingredients by hand until fully incorporated and crumbly. Set aside.
2. Prepare apples: slice a small slice off the bottom of each apple to level the apples so they stand upright.
3. Using a paring knife, carve a circle around the stem of each apple, about 1 inch down. Using a spoon, scoop the inner stem part of the apple out to create a "bowl" to hold the filling. Do not scoop all the way to the bottom, but go pretty far down to be able to pack more crumb topping in there!
4. Pack 1/4 of the crumb topping into each of the apples, packing down.
5. Prepare caramel syrup: in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the margarine, brown sugar, and cinnamon for 30 seconds, or until the margarine is melted, then stir to fully combine.
6. Grease an 8"x8" dish and pour the syrup on the bottom. Arrange the apples on top.
7. Thinly slice the remaining 1 tbsp. of margarine and put a slice on top of each apple. Dust the entire dish with cinnamon.
8. Pour the 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of the dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the apples are soft and begin to crack.
9. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream and the caramel sauce drizzled on top.