Walnuts Archives - Noble Pig

Baked Apples with Maple-Walnut Sauce

Cathy Pollak — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 12:55:00 +0000

Baked apples with maple-walnut sauce is like a simpler version of apple pie, but just as satisfying. I love how easy it is to throw together, and it always hits the spot.

Baked Apples with Maple-Walnut Sauce

I created these baked apples with maple-walnut sauce to capture the comfort of apple pie without the extra work. The flavors come together in such a simple way, but the result is always satisfying.

This recipe is all about getting the most flavor from just a few ingredients. Halving the apples before baking really lets them soak up all the maple syrup and cinnamon, and it cuts down on the cooking time too. It’s my favorite way to bring those cozy apple pie vibes to the table with less effort.

Why I Love This Recipe

It’s versatile—I can easily switch up the nuts or add a drizzle of caramel for something extra.
It works as both a dessert or a sweet breakfast treat, which makes it a great go-to any time of day.
The apples stay tender but still have a slight bite, giving a perfect texture contrast with the sauce.

Ingredients

Only seven ingredients are need to make these delicious baked apples.

Brown sugar – Light or dark brown sugar both work great here; I’ve used both with delicious results.
Ground cinnamon
Maple syrup – Go for the best quality you can; it’s the star ingredient in this sauce.
Salt
Walnuts – Toasting the walnuts beforehand brings out their flavor, and I never skip this step.
Granny Smith apples – I like using Granny Smith for their tartness, but Gala apples are a good option too if you want something sweeter.
Lemon juice

How To Make Baked Apples with Maple-Walnut Sauce

Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Preheat your oven to 400°F and get your baking dish ready.
Brush the cut sides of the apples with lemon juice—I use about a teaspoon. Place them cut side up in the dish. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon (you might need a little more if your apples are big), and sprinkle the mixture over the apples. Pour the maple syrup into the bottom of the dish.
Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Then, uncover and bake for another 15 minutes or until the apples are nice and tender. Move them to a serving dish.
Pour the pan juices into a small saucepan, stir in the remaining teaspoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt, and bring it to a boil. Let it cook for about 3–5 minutes, stirring the whole time, until the sauce thickens up.
Drizzle the thickened sauce over the apples and finish it off by sprinkling the toasted walnuts on top.

Recipe Tips

Here are a few tips to make sure your baked apples turn out just the way you want them—simple and delicious!

If your apples are on the bigger side, you might want to sprinkle a little extra brown sugar to make sure they’re fully covered.
Check the apples with a fork before pulling them out of the oven—they should be nice and tender.
Using a good-quality maple syrup really kicks up the flavor, so it’s worth it if you can!
Toasting the walnuts before adding them is key. It brings out all that great nutty flavor.
If you don’t have a coring tool, no worries—a knife works just fine. The corer just gives it a cleaner look.

Leftovers and Storage

Here are some tips for storing any leftover baked apples you might have.

If you have leftovers, just store the baked apples in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for a few days!
When you’re ready to enjoy them again, just pop them in the microwave for a quick warm-up.
I like to add a little extra maple syrup or a scoop of ice cream when I reheat them—it’s like giving them a second life!

More Apple Recipes

Take advantage of apple season with a plethora of treats!

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Baked Apples with Maple-Walnut Sauce

Baked Apples with Maple-Walnut Sauce is like a simpler version of apple pie, but just as satisfying. It's easy to throw together and always hits the spot.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Baked Apples with Maple-Walnut Sauce

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 210kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

Ingredients

4 large large apples, such as Granny Smith (Gala works too), halved crosswise and cored
2 tsps lemon juice, divided
2 tbsps light brown sugar (or dark)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
1/8 tsp table salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts toasted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400^o F.
Brush cut sides of apples with 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Arrange apples, cut sides up, in a baking dish. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl (you might need more than the recipe calls for depending on the size of your apples); sprinkle cut sides of apples with sugar mixture. Pour maple syrup in bottom of dish.
4 large large apples, such as Granny Smith (Gala works too), halved crosswise and cored, 2 tsps lemon juice, divided, 2 tbsps light brown sugar, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more or until apples are tender. Transfer apples to a serving platter.
Pour pan juices into small saucepan and stir in remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and salt; bring to a boil. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring constantly.
1 cup maple syrup, 1/8 tsp table salt
Pour thickened sauce over apples and sprinkle with toasted walnuts.
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Serve the apples warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream if you like.

Video

Notes

Apple Size: Apples can take a little longer to cook if they are large. Test baked apples with a fork to make sure they are soft before removing from the oven.

For optimal outcomes when preparing these baked apples, it's recommended to refer to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

Nutrition

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The Most Decadent Brownie Muffins

Cathy Pollak — Sun, 26 Jan 2020 13:00:59 +0000

The Most Decadent Brownie Muffins are muffins by morning or brownies by evening – whatever time of day you decide to indulge, these decadently amazing brownie muffins will tame the fiercest of chocolate cravings.

The Most Decadent Brownie Muffins Recipe

When it comes to chocolate, real chocolate is always the better choice. Waxy, weak-flavored chocolate should not have a prominent place in your most treasured recipes. Luckily for you, the most decadent brownie muffins definitely deliver when it comes to deep, rich, full-on chocolate flavor. What could be better than that?

These brownie muffins are exactly the recipe to satisfy those wild chocolate cravings, it would be impossible to feel denied after having one. Just remember to not get hung up on what time of the day to eat one of these decadent muffins – they’re adaptable! Breakfast, dessert or midnight snack, these brownie muffins will satisfy all the cravings.

The intense flavor of these muffins comes from using two types of chocolate, dark and milk. The dark chocolate is melted for the batter, while the milk chocolate is folded in and added on top. The two chocolate flavors balance each other perfectly, turning out a brownie muffin that hits all the right buttons.

How To Use Foil Cupcake Liners

When it comes to foil paper liners, did you know you’re supposed to remove the paper liner that sits in between them? Most people I ask say they always leave the paper ones inside the foil wrappers. The paper separators are there only to keep the foil liners separated. Even though the paper liners are the same shape and size as the foil liners, they are not coated either quilon or silicone. Both of these substances keep your muffins and cupcakes from sticking to the paper liners. The paper separators in between the foil liners don’t have that coating.

Now, here’s another thing, foil liners do not require you to use a muffin pan. You are supposed to use the foil liners right on a cookie sheet. I don’t use them that way because they do expand more during baking and I prefer my muffins or cupcakes to be more compact.

For the purpose of this recipe, I have found using non-stick spray on the foil liners (even though they are non-stick) helps release these very chocolaty muffins from the liners more easily.

How To Melt Butter and Chocolate

Butter and chocolate are melted together in this recipe to add necessary fat, as well as to thin out the chocolate, making it easier to blend together easily with the other ingredients. Melting the butter with the chocolate is important when a recipe calls for actual chocolate instead of cocoa powder. The butter also replaces any need for other fat such as oil.

Melting chocolate on the stovetop isn’t difficult, but it does require some care.

Add chocolate (broken into pieces) and cubed butter together in a large saucepan, 10-12″.
Stove heat should be on the lowest possible setting.
Use a rubber spatula to slowly stir the butter and chocolate together until butter is completely melted and chocolate is smooth.
Remove from heat and let cool at least 10 minutes.

What Happens If You Overmix The Batter?

When batter for cakes, brownies, muffins is overmixed, the gluten in the flour will form form elastic gluten strands. This is usually what you want for cookies, but not for cakes and muffins. Overmixing can also cause uneven baking as well as resulting in dense, chewy textures.

The flour for this recipe will incorporate after gentle folds, even though it looks like it won’t.

Because eggs are the only leavener, these brownies do not rise very much when they bake. To get the dome-like top, you really need to heap the batter into each cup. Add about 1/3 cup batter into each prepares cup and top each with with another heaping spoonful of batter. Lightly press extra milk chocolate chips onto each muffin before baking.

Overbaking Woes

Overbaking definitely has an effect on brownies, so checking for doneness is key. Gently press on the top of the dome, it should spring back when it’s ready. The toothpick test does not work in baked goods where whole chocolate chips are in the batter.

The Beauty Of These Muffins

As you can see in the picture above, these brownie muffins are super chocolaty and dense. The dome has the same texture of the top of a craggy brownie, but once you break through, the middle is this amazing soft and delicious brownie. It’s the best of both worlds, especially if you love brownie edges.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Equipment Needed For This Recipe

Sauce pan for melting the chocolate. Stainless steel works best.
Foil cupcake liners. These work considerably better than paper liners for this recipe.
My favorite muffin tin.

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The Most Decadent Brownie Muffins

The Most Decadent Brownie Muffins are muffins by morning or brownies by evening - whatever time of day you decide to indulge, these decadently amazing brownie muffins will tame the fiercest of chocolate cravings.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Decadent Brownies, The Most Decadent Brownie Muffins

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Total Time 55

Servings muffins

Calories 487kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Ingredients

cooking spray
10 oz dark chocolate (85% cacao), broken into squares
10 tbsp butter, cubed
4 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk chocolate chips, plus extra for the tops
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 11 muffin cups with foil liners and coat each with nonstick spray.
Melt dark chocolate and butter together in a large sauce pan (10-12") over very low heat. Stir continuously with a rubber spatula until smooth and fully incorporated. Remove from heat and let cool at least ten minutes.
Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl. Slowly add chocolate, whisking together with egg mixture. (Make sure chocolate is not too hot that it will cook your eggs.)
Gently fold in flour, just until incorporated. Add chocolate chips and nuts.
Fill prepared foil cups with batter as indicated in the post in order to get the height of these muffins. Top each muffin with additional milk chocolate chips. Bake 35 minutes or until muffin springs back to the touch. Let muffins cool in the pan on a rack for twenty minutes before trying to remove them. They are amazing warm, but are perfect when cooled.
Store in a tightly closed container for up to a week.

Notes

Using high quality butter, such as Kerrygold, and high quality chocolate, such as Guittard, really makes a difference in the taste of this recipe.

Make sure to read the whole post for tips and tricks for this recipe and the reasons we do/don't do certain things.

Nutrition

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Eggnog Banana Bread Muffins

Cathy Pollak — Wed, 18 Dec 2019 18:50:16 +0000

These Eggnog Banana Bread Muffins are tender, delicious and full of pure banana flavor. The eggnog lends a gentle nod to the holidays in a format that is perfect for celebrating Christmas brunch. This holiday breakfast muffin is the perfect cure to hunger while unwrapping those holiday gifts.

Eggnog Banana Bread Muffin Recipe

If you prefer spending holiday mornings around the tree with family, instead of in the kitchen, these Eggnog Banana Bread Muffins are the perfect answer to a pre-made holiday breakfast. Make these eggnog muffins the day before for a stress-free Christmas or New Year’s Day breakfast. They are simple to put together and you likely already have all the ingredients you need.

There are lots of things that make the holiday season special, but the one stand-out is the food. For many, this is the only time of the year we allow ourselves to enjoy certain dishes, many of which have cultural significance. It’s definitely the perfect time of year for festive breakfast and brunch recipes.

Still Looking for Holiday Breakfast Recipes? Try these:

How To Make Eggnog Banana Bread Muffins

Mash bananas well with a fork and place them into a 2-cup liquid measuring bowl. Add egg, melted (cooled) butter, vanilla and enough eggnog to make a total of two cups. The addition of eggnog will only be enough to make a total of two cups of all the wet ingredients mentioned. Do not add more eggnog.
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and fold them into each other. Do not over-mix, about 10 strokes is about enough.
Spoon the batter lightly into the muffin pan. If you want your muffins to look like the pictures, place extra nuts and chocolate onto the top of each muffin.
Place muffins oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for 15 minutes in the pan (on a wire rack) before removing.

How To Ripen Bananas Quickly

Ripe bananas are essential for these eggnog muffins. Bananas should have yellow skins (no green!) with an even array of brown freckles. Since ripening bananas can take a few days and sometimes up to a week, there is a quicker way. All you have to do is bake your unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet in a 250 degree F oven until they are soft, 15-20 minutes. Let them cool, peel, and add them to your recipe. It’s so easy and no more waiting for brown bananas when you have an urge to bake.

Recipe Tips

Bananas should be ripe. See above for how to ripen bananas quickly.
Your wet ingredients should not exceed a total of two cups. Because bananas are different sizes, the addition of the amount of eggnog will vary.
Thoroughly whisk together your dry ingredients, making sure baking powder and baking soda are fully combined within the flour.
Do not add hot ingredients like melted butter to cold ingredients like egg and eggnog. Try to bring ingredients to room temperature before mixing together.
All eggnog is not created equal. Check the labels and grab the brand that has the highest fat content.
Do not over-mix the batter or your muffins will not be tender.
Add extra nuts and chocolate to the tops of the muffin if you want them to look like the picture.

Can I Freeze Eggnog Banana Bread Muffins?

Yes you can. Wrap each muffin individually with saran wrap and place in a tightly lidded container for up to six months. Let them thaw on the counter for six hours before serving.

How To Keep Muffins Moist Overnight

Let your muffins cool completely.
Keep muffins in their paper liners.
Place them in a resealable bag or a tightly lidded container.

Why Did My Muffins Turn Out Dense?

Most likely it was too much leavening by measuring incorrectly; too much baking powder or soda in your muffin batter will cause muffins to rise temporarily, then collapse. This is how they become dense. Over-mixing is another cause of dense muffins. Mixing the muffin batter too much creates a dense muffin, with huge pockets of air inside.

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Eggnog Banana Bread Muffins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Banana Bread, Eggnog, Eggnog Banana Bread Muffins

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Servings muffins

Calories 236kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
1-1/2 tsps pure vanilla extract
eggnog, add only enough eggnog to make your wet ingredients equal two cups
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips (72% cacao)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
Mash your bananas well with a fork and place them into a 2-cup liquid measuring bowl. Add egg, melted (cooled) butter, vanilla and enough eggnog to make a total of two cups. The addition of eggnog will only be enough to make a total of two cups of all the wet ingredients mentioned. Do not add more eggnog.
In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold them very carefully into each other. Do not over-mix, about 10 strokes is about enough. (Over-mixing is the death of baked goods. There might even be some dry spots of batter left and it will be lumpy. That is fine! If you mix until the batter is runny, your muffins will be average, and a little tough.) Fold in chopped nuts and chocolate just until incorporated.
Spoon the batter lightly into the muffin pan (do not pack it in). If you want your muffins to look like the pictures, place extra nuts and chocolate onto the top of each muffin.
Place into your preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for 15 minutes in the pan (on a wire rack) before removing.
Will keep several days in a tightly covered container.

Nutrition

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Chocolate Cream Cheese Bars

Cathy Pollak — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 23:01:13 +0000

Perfect for any occasion, these Chocolate Cream Cheese Bars feature a unique chocolate graham cracker crust and topping, with a creamy middle layer.

It’s so easy to treat your family with these nuts and cream cheese bars and in a way, they totally remind me of eating cheesecake. These bars have a unique taste and texture with the combination of graham cracker crumbs and nuts mixed together to make the crust and crumb topping. However, the best part is the flavor. The cream cheese gives them a bit of a tangy taste, which helps even out the sweetness. It’s pretty much perfection in a dessert bar and you must try baking them yourself.

These Chocolate Cream Cheese Bars are very sturdy, making them the perfect addition to take to any party, picnic or potluck. These will not fall apart before arriving at your destination.

I love my Butterscotch-Walnut Chocolate Bars and Blueberry-Lemon Oatmeal Bars, but this recipe for Chocolate Cream Cheese Bars is a whole new level of dessert nirvana.

Can I Substitute Different Types of Chocolate Chips

Yes, you can! If you prefer dark chocolate or milk chocolate, you can absolutely substitute them in this recipe. Also, if you prefer a different flavor of chocolate chips, those would work too. I highly recommend making this recipe according to your tastes.

Do Cream Cheese Bars Need To Be Refrigerated

Yes, please refrigerate your cream cheese bars, since cream cheese is perishable. Also, in order to get nice, clean cuts of these bars, or any bars you make, refrigerating them until they are very cold makes slicing them so much easier.

After this recipe has completely cooled, I cover the baking tray tightly with saran wrap, placing the bars in the refrigerator until the next day. Then I use an 8″ chef’s knife to cut the whole tray into squares. Each bar is removed with a small spatula.

Storage Ideas

tightly wrapped or in Tupperware
keep them in the refrigerator up to a week
store in the freezer for up to three months

Recipe Tips

Melting the chocolate chips and butter in a large saucepan (10-12″), using a rubber spatula to stir. The large surface areas allows the chocolate to melt quickly without seizing.
Making to sure to chop the walnuts into, smaller pieces. Large walnut pieces will have a harder time keeping the crust together.
Soften cream cheese by submerging each pack (still in foil) in hot tap water for five minutes. Cream cheese will not be lumpy in the batter after this.
Bring eggs to room temperature before mixing with the cream cheese.
Use fresh lemon juice, not that fake, bottled stuff.
Refrigerate bars overnight in order to get nice, clean lines when slicing into squares.
A small, metal spatula to remove bars from pan is very helpful.

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Equipment You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

More Dessert Bar Recipes

Chocolate Cream Cheese Bars

Perfect for any occasion, these Chocolate Cream Cheese Bars feature a unique chocolate graham cracker crust and topping, with a creamy middle layer.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Chocolate Cream Cheese Bars

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

refrigerate 8

Total Time 1

Servings bars

Calories 259kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Ingredients

1-2/3 cups (313 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 tbsp (84 g) butter
2 cups (224 g) graham cracker crumbs
2 cups (240 g) chopped walnuts
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
2 tbsps fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large, wide saucepan (10-12"), melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat. (Use a silicone spatula to stir the chocolate and butter together, it will melt fast and you do not want to over heat the chocolate as it might seize up.) Stir in the graham cracker crumbs and nuts. Reserve two cups of the chocolate-crumb mixture. Press the remaining mixture into an ungreased 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Beat together softened cream cheese and sugar until its creamy. Add eggs, preferably one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour and lemon juice. Pour this mixture over crust and sprinkle reserved crumb mixture on top.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until set and is not jiggly. Cool in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate overnight before cutting into bars.
These keep well in the refrigerator up to a week when tightly covered.

Notes

Cooking tip: Soften cream cheese bricks in a bowl of hot tap water for five minutes while still in the package. This ensures your batter will not be lumpy.

Nutrition

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The post Chocolate Cream Cheese Bars appeared first on Noble Pig.