Mary Berry Baked Apples

This is one of those old-school puddings that never goes out of fashion — and thank heavens for that. When the weather turns, and your fruit bowl’s looking sad with apples that’ve seen better days, there’s nothing more comforting than stuffing them with buttery spiced fruit and baking them ‘til they collapse just slightly into a sticky, syrupy puddle. It’s like crumble’s quieter, simpler cousin — less faff, still full of soul.

I first made Mary Berry’s version on a rainy Tuesday, mainly to use up some dried fruit from Christmas that I never got around to using. I didn’t have crème fraîche, so I used Greek yoghurt, and honestly? It still slapped. The orange zest is the real magic here — you don’t think it’ll do much, but it lifts everything and makes the whole kitchen smell like mulled wine and cosy jumpers.

Why You’ll Love It

• Ridiculously easy — basically just core, stuff, bake.
• The smell. Like walking into a warm spice cupboard.
• Flexible recipe — switch the fruit, change the spice, add booze if you’re feeling bold.
• Lovely with just a spoon, or all dressed up with cream or ice cream.
• No pastry, no mixers, no stress.
• Good leftover — if you even have any.

Ingredients

• 50g unsalted butter
• zest + juice of 1 orange
• 50g light brown soft sugar
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• 100g mixed dried fruit (currants, sultanas, raisins, candied peel — whatever’s in your cupboard)
• 4 big eating apples — ones that hold up (Braeburn, Jonagold, Granny Smith…)
• crème fraîche or thick yoghurt or whatever creamy thing you fancy, to serve

How to Make It

Melt and mix the good stuff:

Pop your oven on at 220°C (200°C fan) / Gas 7. Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Once it’s just melted, take it off and stir in the sugar, orange zest, juice, spices, and dried fruit. It’ll smell amazing. Set it aside to soak up the flavour.

Prep your apples — carefully now:

Take the core out of each apple, but don’t go all the way through. You want a little base left in there to hold the filling. If you accidentally go too far (I’ve done it loads), just plug the bottom with a bit of apple or a raisin.

Fill ‘em up:

Sit the apples snugly in a baking dish. They should support each other — no rolling about. Spoon the fruit mixture into each hollow. Let it overflow a bit. It’s rustic, not a science experiment.

Bake and let the magic happen:

Put the dish in the bottom of the oven and bake for about 20–25 minutes. The apples should soften but still keep their shape, and the filling will bubble into a sticky syrup at the bottom of the tray.

Time to eat:

Scoop an apple onto a plate, spoon over some of the syrupy juices, and add a dollop of crème fraîche or ice cream. Honestly? It’s lush even cold, straight from the fridge, no judgement.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

My apples turned to mush.
They probably overbaked or were too soft to begin with. Go for firmer ones next time — Braeburn or Granny Smith are your friends.

The filling leaked out.
It’s meant to. That gooey mess at the bottom of the dish? It’s flavour gold. Spoon it back over when serving.

They collapsed completely.
Happens if you core too deep. Next time, leave about 1–2 cm at the base. If they collapse a bit anyway, just call it “rustic.”

Too sweet?
Use a tarter apple or skip the crème fraîche topping. Or add a squeeze of lemon juice to the mix.

Storage and Reheating

Fridge:
Keep them in a container for up to 3 days. The flavours get even better by day two.

Freezer:
Wrap each apple individually and freeze. Defrost in the fridge overnight and warm up when needed.

Microwave:
Pop one in a bowl and cover loosely. Heat for 1–2 mins on medium until warmed through.

Oven:
Wrap in foil and reheat at 180°C (350°F) for 10–15 mins. The top gets lovely and soft again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use pears instead?
You can! Just pick firm ones and reduce the baking time a bit — pears soften quicker.

Do I have to use orange juice?
Not at all. Apple juice, lemon juice, even a splash of brandy if you’re feeling cheeky.

Can I make this in advance?
Yes — you can stuff them ahead and chill until you’re ready to bake. Bring to room temp first if you can.

What else can I add to the filling?
Nuts, a dash of cinnamon, chopped chocolate, or a tiny bit of chopped ginger — all lovely additions.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):

• Calories: 200 kcal
• Fat: 6g
• Carbs: 40g
• Sugars: 30g
• Protein: 1g
• Fibre: 5g
• Sodium: 20mg

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

• Mary Berry Lemon Mousse Recipe
• Mary Berry No Bake Cheesecake
• Mary Berry Fruit Cake Loaf