Spice Roasted Apple with Honey Almond Oats

A bag of apples or pears from Bishops Orchards* is just about the most inspiring thing I can have in my kitchen. From October till they disappear around February or March I keep these apples cooking in my oven or on my stove top. I love them warm: they make a delicious treat for breakfast or dessert and allow me to bake without using any sugar, PERFECT. For this recipe I use honey, but you can bake them with a few spices and their natural sugars concentrate in the oven.

Generally I slice up as many apples or pears as will fit in a pan add a little cider, some cinnamon bark or cardamom pods and bake. Sometimes I make a crisp by adding a sweet oat or flour crumb topping.  For this deconstructed apple crisp variation, I roasted the apples in the oven and made the oat topping in a frying pan. The apples could also be made in a frying pan if you don't want to turn the oven on.

Spice Roasted Apples with Honey Glazed Almond Oats
For the apples:
8 firm apples such as Fuji or Braeburn that don't mush when they cook.
1/2 cup water or cider
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon butter
A sprinkle of any spices you like, I used cinnamon, nutmeg & cardamom

1. Sliced apples in half. Remove seeds if you like, or leave them as is if you're feeling too lazy.
2. Placed apples in a roasting pan face up with a little cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom (clove or allspice would also be nice) and a splash of water, then roast them at 400 degrees until tender. 
3. In a frying pan add a drizzle of honey (1 to 2 tablespoons), a slice of butter, and any juices from the roasting pan. Simmer until bubbling rapidly. Glaze each apple in the heated honey and set on a plate. 

For the Almond Oats:
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup dry rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt

1. In the same frying pan, add 2 more tablespoons honey, a teaspoon of water, a pinch of salt and some butter (optional), heat until bubbling rapidly. Add sliced almonds and toss to coat, continue tossing and cook for 20 seconds on medium heat, add dry rolled oats, cinnamon and salt, toss until well coated and toasty hot. 
2. Serve warm apples with hot honeyed almond oats and a spoonful of yogurt or whipped cream (plain or sweetened with a pinch of sugar and cinnamon). Enjoy!

* tip for you super local folk in New Haven, CT - bags of apples from Bishops Orchards are available at Edge of the Woods for only $3.99, way cheaper than at the orchard itself. It's a great way to get locally grown apples well past the pick-your-own season. These are not organic, but they are IPM and very minimally treated, and no wax.