Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a small cake
or baking pan. Use a vegetable peeler to peel a strip of skin from
around stem of each apple. Use a melon baller or grapefruit spoon
to scoop out core of each apple, leaving at least 1/4 inch at base.
Stand apples in pan and use a paring knife to make 6 vertical cuts
surrounding cavity, being sure not to pierce through bottom of apple.
Place 1 teaspoon butter and 1 teaspoon maple syrup into cavity of
each apple. Mix together brown sugar, pecans and raisins, and stuff
1/4 of this mixture into each apple. Pour remaining maple syrup and
the wine into bottom of pan, and add cardamom, cloves, ginger and
cinnamon.
Bake apples, basting with liquid in pan every 5 to 7 minutes, until
tender yet not collapsed, 45 minutes to an hour. Serve warm or at
room temperature, with custard if desired.
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