Baked Apples with Cinnamon Ice Cream

I originally saw this recipe in an All You magazine. I think this combo is great for our rather warm California winter. You get a little bit of warm with something nice and cold. The cinnamon ice cream gives a nice blend with the baked apples.

 I like to make my own ice cream, and honestly I don't know why other than just because. There really is no reason why. Usually it's because I just don't have enough room in my freezer to justify leaving a container in there. Plus, I'll eat it every day. Okay, so maybe the desire to have a bowl of ice cream every day is the main reason I don't usually keep ice cream in the freezer. Plus, homemade right out of the ice cream maker is pretty rockin' so use store bought or homemade whatever strikes your fancy. I won't judge.

 Baked Apples with Cinnamon Ice Cream 

 1 quart vanilla ice cream (store bought or homemade)
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened apple cider
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
8 medium cooking apples like Granny Smith
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

If using store bought ice cream, soften the ice cream by leaving at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, until soft enough to mix.  In a large mixing bowl, beat ice cream and cinnamon until thoroughly combined.  Return to freezer until solid, about 30 minutes.

For homemade, use your favorite vanilla ice cream recipe but add the 2 tsp cinnamon into the mix before pouring into your ice cream maker.  Make the ice cream according to the ice cream maker's instructions.

Butter a baking dish that is large enough to hold all the apples in a single layer.

Combine brown sugar, apple cider, salt, nutmeg, and ground cloves in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat, constantly stirring until the sugar has dissolved.  Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Peel, if you want to, and core apples.  Peeling the apples, I feel is an optional step. In the future I will keep the skin on the apples since I had to cut up the apples for my kids anyways.  I had to use a small paring knife because I had nothing better to get the job done.  I lost a little more apple that way but it worked so use what you have on hand.

Place apples in baking dish, adding a few pieces of butter to each apple cavity.  Pour cider syrup over the apples.

Bake at 350, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes, basting often.  Apples should be tender but still able to hold their shape.  You can also make the apples in a crock pot.  Cook the apples in the crock pot over high heat for about 2 1/2 hours.

Cool slightly.  Serve with cooking juices spooned over and along side cinnamon ice cream.

Recipe slightly adapted from October 2012 All You magazine.