
Savory Baked Apples with Ricotta, Beets & Honey
4-8
25 minutes
45 minutes
Ingredients
Apples
- 4 large Honeycrisp apples
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Beet & Apple Mixture
- 2 small beets (about 1 cup diced), peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes (pre-roasted or instructions below)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil, for roasting the beets
- Diced apples (*See step #3 in the instructions)
- 1½ tsp lemon juice
- 1½ tsp honey
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Ricotta–Mascarpone Filling
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (drained if needed)
- ¼ cup mascarpone
- 1 egg yolk
- Zest of 1½ large lemons
- 2 tbsp candied walnuts or almonds, roughly chopped
- 1½ tbsp finely chopped chives
- 1½ tsp finely chopped thyme
- 1 tbsp honey
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Garnish
- Microgreens
- Drizzle of honey or hot honey
Featured Products
- OvenBond Quarter Sheet Pan
- Provisions Mixing Bowls
Directions
Pre-roast the beets
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Toss diced beet cubes with ½ tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Spread on a foil-lined sheet pan, cover with foil, and roast for 14–16 minutes, until mostly tender.
- Remove and let cool slightly.
Make the ricotta–mascarpone filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, mascarpone, egg yolk, lemon zest, chives, thyme, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Prepare the apples
- Reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Slice off the top ½ inch of each apple. Brush the tops and cored areas with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Core the apples, leaving about ½ inch of flesh on the sides and bottom. (See tip below)
- Peel the reserved apple tops and dice them into ¼-inch cubes.
- Tip: To core an apple, use an apple corer, melon baller, measuring spoon and/or a small paring knife. Start by cutting around the stem, then scoop out the center with a spoon, being careful not to pierce the bottom. You want a hollow center about the size of a golf ball to hold the filling.
Toss the beet & apple mixture
- In a medium bowl, gently combine roasted beets, diced apple tops, candied nuts, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Assemble
- Spoon the ricotta–mascarpone mixture into each cored apple, filling to the top.
- Add a generous spoonful of the beet & apple mixture on top, pressing gently into the cheese.
Bake
- Arrange the filled apples upright on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the apples are tender and the tops are lightly golden.
Garnish & Serve
- Let cool slightly. Top with microgreens and a drizzle of honey or hot honey.
- Serve warm, whole or halved, with a glass of Chardonnay or Pinot Gris, or for a non-alcoholic pairing, try a Rosemary–Ginger Tonic.