Portuguese Baked Apples

Also known as: Portuguese Baked Apples · Oven-Baked Apples with Cinnamon

Whole apples baked with sugar, cinnamon and citrus until wrinkled outside and tender within.

Origin: Portugal · nationwide home dessert
Region: Nationwide
Season: Autumn and winter

Sweetness

Richness

Difficulty

Maçãs Assadas is one of Portugal's simplest home desserts. The core is removed without breaking up the fruit, a little sugar is added, and the apples bake with cinnamon, water and often orange juice or wine. Heat wrinkles and splits the skin, softens the flesh and creates a gently caramelised fruit syrup in the dish.

They are served whole, hot, warm or cold. These are neither stuffed apples nor pie: their identity lies in the nearly intact fruit, cinnamon perfume and sauce made from their own juices.

Ingredients

Whole apples
Sugar
Cinnamon
Water
Optional orange juice or wine

Taste & texture

Sweet tender flesh with gentle acidity, caramelised skin and warm cinnamon-citrus aroma.

Variations

White wine, Port or orange juice may be used; some homes add honey or brown sugar. Nut-stuffed versions form a related but distinct family.

Where to try it

In traditional restaurants, canteens and family homes throughout Portugal.

Pairs well with

Black tea, coffee or a small glass of Port.

History

Baking whole fruit is an old domestic practice shared by many countries. In Portugal the baked apple became an economical comfort dessert tied to the family oven and colder months, as well as a stable feature of traditional restaurants.

There is no single regional recipe or verifiable creation date. The preparation's national continuity—apple, sugar, cinnamon and an aromatic liquid—is more important to its identity than a localised origin.

Sources: teleculinaria.pt

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