Poucas sobremesas são tão simples e reconfortantes como maçãs assadas no forno. Este clássico da cozinha portuguesa transforma uma fruta humilde numa iguaria elegante, onde a doçura da maçã se funde com o aroma quente da canela e a riqueza do vinho do Porto. É a sobremesa perfeita para uma noite fria ou para terminar qualquer refeição com um toque de tradição e sabor.

Ingredientes (2 Pessoas)

  • 4 maçãs reinetas
  • açúcar
  • canela
  • vinho do Porto

Preparação

  1. Descaroce as maçãs.
  2. Polvilhe o fundo de um recipiente refratário com açúcar e canela.
  3. Coloque as maçãs no recipiente, encha os orifícios com açúcar e canela.
  4. Regue as maçãs com vinho do Porto.
  5. Ligue o forno a 200º C e asse as maçãs por cerca de 15 minutos.

Ready for a taste of pure comfort? Here’s the recipe in English.

Oven-Baked Apples

There is a special kind of magic in desserts that require only a handful of ingredients, and these Portuguese-style baked apples are a perfect example. A true comfort food classic, this recipe is incredibly simple, allowing the natural sweetness of the apple to shine, enhanced by the warm spice of cinnamon and the rich, complex notes of Port wine. It’s a dish that feels both rustic and elegant, filling your home with the most wonderful aroma as it bakes.

The choice of apple is key. The recipe calls for Reineta apples, a traditional Portuguese variety known for holding its shape when cooked while becoming beautifully tender. If you can’t find them, a good tart and firm baking apple like a Bramley or Granny Smith is an excellent substitute. The apple becomes the perfect vessel for the simple filling, and as it bakes, the Port wine reduces into a delicious, syrupy sauce at the bottom of the dish.

This is a wonderfully versatile dessert. For extra richness, you can place a small knob of butter on top of the sugar in each apple before baking. For more texture, add a few raisins or chopped walnuts to the filling. These baked apples are sublime served warm, either on their own with the pan juices spooned over, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of thick cream.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

  • 4 Reineta apples (or other firm, tart baking apples like Bramley)
  • Caster sugar, to taste
  • Ground cinnamon, to taste
  • Port wine

Method

  1. Core the apples using an apple corer, being careful to leave the base intact.
  2. Lightly sprinkle the bottom of an ovenproof dish with sugar and cinnamon.
  3. Place the apples in the dish and fill the cored centres with sugar and cinnamon.
  4. Drizzle a generous splash of Port wine over each apple.
  5. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6) and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the apples are tender when pierced with a knife but still hold their shape.