Celebrate the New Year With Baked Apples in Date, Honey and Bourbon Sauce

I think one constant across the Jewish world in celebrating Rosh Hashanah is our wish for a sweet New Year. Serving or eating sweet foods at holiday meals is one way to express this wish, and one of the most popular foods for many, especially those from Ashkenazi backgrounds, is apples dipped in honey. This easy-to-make-ahead dessert of Baked Apples in Date, Honey and Bourbon Sauce reflects that tradition.

I first started thinking of High Holiday recipes using honey when I noticed that Hadassah chapters from coast to coast participate in a “Honey from the Heart” fundraiser in the months leading up to the fall high holy days. Selling jars of kosher honey, they offer a kind of edible Shana Tova or Happy New Year card to raise money for the organization’s projects in the U S and Israel.

This baked apple recipe also features dates, another symbolic Rosh Hashanah food. The Hebrew word for date is tamar, which is similar to the word yitamu (may our enemies be removed).

You can make this recipe ahead of time (see recipe for changes required). And I’ve provided kosher, vegan, gluten-free and alcohol-free alternatives (see notes).

Recipe photo courtesy of the author.

Baked Apples in Date, Honey and Bourbon Sauce
Makes 6, doubles well

1 cup chopped, pitted dates (6 oz.), cut in 1/4-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. bourbon
2 Tbsps. honey
2 tsps. minced lemon zest
2 Tbsps. butter or parve (non-dairy) margarine, divided
6 medium to medium-large apples such as Pink Lady, Gala, Fuji, Pippin or similar
1/3 cup almond paste (see kosher notes)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup water
2-3 Tbsps. slivered almonds, optional
2 Tbsps. julienned lemon zest, optional (see note)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix chopped dates with bourbon, honey and lemon zest in medium bowl. Stir well.  Set aside. Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with 1 Tbsp. of butter.

Core apples using an apple corer or sharp paring knife, leaving a thin membrane of apple at bottom. (Use slices of the removed core to plug the bottom if you accidentally cut through.) Place cored apples in baking dish.

Combine half of the chopped dates with the almond paste in a bowl. Mash with fingers until well mixed. Pack apple cavities with mixture.  Pack any extra filling on top of apples where the stem would be.

Mix lemon juice and water with remaining chopped dates. Pour in baking pan, distributing evenly around the apples. Cut remaining 1 Tbsp. butter into 6 pieces and place one on top of each stuffed apple on top of the filling.

Cover with foil and bake 45-55 minutes until apples are tender (a fork should glide through) but are not falling apart. (Check periodically to make sure apples do not dry out. Baste with pan liquid if needed. If pan begins to dry out, add water by the tablespoon if necessary.) Uncover and bake another 5-10 minutes until tops of filling are lightly browned.

To serve, let stand at least 10 minutes (can be served warm or at room temperature). Spoon some of the pan liquid and chopped dates over apples. Garnish with optional almonds and julienned lemon zest.

If You Make Ahead: Do not spoon sauce and dates on top or garnish until serving. Refrigerate, covered, in baking dish. Bring to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or heat, covered with foil, in 350-degree oven until warmed through (about 15-20 minutes).

Note: To julienne lemon zest, slice 1-inch pieces of zest into 1/16- inch strips. Or use a lemon zester to make long, thin strips.

Alcohol Substitution: Use apple juice instead of bourbon and add 1/4 tsp. regular or alcohol-free vanilla extract.

Gluten Note: Some almond pastes contain glycerin made from wheat products. See kosher note for substitute recipe.

Kosher Note: Use parve margarine instead of butter to make this recipe parve. If you are unable to source certified kosher almond paste, hand mix 1/2 cup almond flour or almond meal with 3 Tbsps. honey until well combined. Add more almond meal or honey as needed. Mixture should be very tacky but hold together. Mix in half of the  chopped dates. Proceed as directed above.

Vegan Note: Substitute agave syrup for honey and use non-dairy margarine or vegan butter.

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