Baked Apples with Cashew Cream

Source: https://www.plantbasedcooking.com/recipe/baked-apples-with-cashew-cream/

Ingredients

• 4 large apples
• 1 cup raw cashews or almonds soaked 1 hour in hot water to cover
• 3 Tbl maple syrup divided
• ½ tsp vanilla extract non-alcoholic preferred
• ½ cup water + ¼ cup water
• ½ tsp Ceylon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup walnuts chopped (or other of your favorite nuts)
• ½ cup homemade granola or store-bought Engine 2 Diet brand

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Core, hollow out, and peel the top ¼ of the apple skins. Or, cut in half and core.
3. Place the apples in an 8-9” baking dish. If the apples don’t sit up, trim a small slice from the bottom of each.
4. After the cashews have soaked for at least 1 hour, drain them and place into a blender with ½ cup of the fresh water, the maple syrup and vanilla. Blend until smooth. This may take several minutes. Remove with a spatula to a bowl and refrigerate.
5. Drizzle the apples with 1 Tbl maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon. Stuff the centers with a few walnuts.
6. Pour ¼ cup water into the bottom of the dish, cover with foil and bake for about 30-45 minutes. Check for softness and bake longer if needed.
7. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes.
8. Before serving, top with chilled cashew cream and a sprinkling of granola.