Bratäpfel mit Vanillesoße

The story

Bratäpfel, baked apples, are among the most popular German winter desserts, and for many families they also belong on the Christmas menu. The reason is old and practical: apples were the only locally grown fruit in Germany that kept through the winter months, which made them the fruit of the cold season. No one knows exactly where the dish began, though some trace the idea to Bavaria. The classic apple is the tart Belle de Boskoop, a Dutch variety, and Gravensteiner and Cox Orange are also used. Cooks hollow out the core and pack the space with marzipan, chopped almonds and raisins, often with butter, lemon juice, cinnamon or a splash of rum. The apples bake until the skins wrinkle and split and the flesh turns soft without collapsing. They can also be baked on a wood stove, and in enameled cast-iron pans called apple schnitzers, which have a central spike; these pans are still found in Amish communities in the United States. The usual partner is Vanillesoße, a pourable vanilla custard, though vanilla ice cream or whipped cream also appear. Bake the apples while the main course is on the table, and make the sauce ahead.