Butter-rum Baked Apples

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 8 golden delicious apples, with stems
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 slices fresh lemon zest (2 by 1/2-inch)
• 8 whole cloves

Recipe

• 1 preheat dutch oven to 450°f (hot).
• 2 cut off top third of each apple and reserve.
• 3 scoop out seeds and some of flesh from apples using a melon-ball cutter or round teaspoon measure to form a cavity (do not puncture bottoms).
• 4 stand apples in dutch oven tightly.
• 5 heat remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.
• 6 pour some of syrup into cavity of each apple and remainder into dutch oven.
• 7 return apple tops to apples and cover oven.
• 8 bake in oven until apples are tender, 25 to 30 minutes (place the majority of coals on the oven lid).
• 9 makes 8 servings.