Fruit Baked Apples

Great cold weather dessert – spiced dried fruit mixture fills fresh apples that are then baked in an apple cider sauce. It fills the house with tempting aromas as it bakes.

34% calorie reduction from traditional recipe

1/2 cup Equal Spoonful*
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
2 cups apple cider or juice
1 (6 ounce) package dried mixed fruit, chopped
1 tablespoon stick butter or margarine
8 tart baking apples

*May substitute 12 packets Equal Sweetener

Combine Equal, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium saucepan. Stir in cider and dried fruit. Heat to boiling.

Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes or until fruit is tender and cider mixture is reduced to about 1 cup. Stir in butter until melted.

Remove cores from apples, cutting into but not through bottoms. Peel 1-inch around tops. Place apples in greased baking pan. Fill centers with fruit. Spoon remaining cider mixture over apples.

Bake uncovered, in preheated 350 degree F oven about 45 minutes or until apples are tender when pierced with a fork.

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition information per serving: 176 cal., 1 g pro., 42 g carb., 2 g fat, 0 mg chol., 22 mg sodium

Food exchanges: 2 1/2 fruit, 1/2 fat