Apples with dates and nuts
Baked apples with an aromatic filling is a well-known dessert. The mixture of coconut, a bit of oats, nuts, dates and spices are just so comforting. Enjoy with homemade custard or plain yoghurt for a healthier treat.
Ready in
1 hour 15 minsServing size
Serves 6Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) desiccated coconut
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) oats
- ¼ cup (60 ml) chopped raw almonds
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped dates
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter
- 1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon
- pinch of ground cloves
- 4-6 (400-600 g) small apples with the skin, cored
- ¾ cup (180 ml) Rooibos tea
- 175 ml plain low-fat yoghurt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 ˚C. Mix all the ingredients, except the apples, tea and yoghurt, until well combined.
- Place apples in an oven dish, fill with the coconut mixture and pour tea over. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and spoon over liquid.
- Bake for another 10-20 minutes, uncovered, until just soft, but not burst open. The apples shouldn’t fall apart.
- Serve with 2 tbsp (30 ml) plain low-fat yoghurt per person.
Tips
- The same recipe can be used to roast different fruit like pears, pineapple, naartjies or peaches, berries and plums in summer. Use one or a combination of seasonal fruit, cut into wedges, slices or quarters and sprinkle with the coconut mixture. Roast uncovered or until the fruit is cooked, but not mushy.
- Flavoured Rooibos tea will work well. Whole spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice or cardamom are all delicious added to the fruit.
- Low-sugar homemade custard: Prepare custard with 2 cups (500 ml) low-fat milk, 3 tbsp (45 ml) custard powder and 2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar, by following the cooking instructions on the packaging. Season with vanilla essence and lemon rind to taste. This serves 6 people with ⅓ cup (80 ml) custard per person.
Nutritional information per portion
Energy
728 kJ
Protein
3,2 g
Fat
7,4 g
Carbohydrates
19,7 g
Salt
19,7 g
Homemade custard
Prepare a delicious and healthier homemade custard, this way you can control how much sugar is added.

Apples with dates and nuts
Make this guilt-free dessert today.


This recipe is from Cooking from the heart, 3rd edition: Diabetes
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