Stuffed Apples with Sticky Rice and Dried Fruits
2 min readWithout the sauce, this wholesome and delicious dessert can also double as breakfast—yum!
MAKES 4 SERVINGS About 1⁄4 cup glutinous (sticky) rice
4 medium apples, preferably Fuji or other sweet, crisp variety (about 6 ounces each)
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
4 pitted dried red dates (jujubes), chopped
4 walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons raisins
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Chopped crystallized ginger (optional)
Bring a large saucepan filled halfway with water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice, reduce the heat slightly, and boil about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until rice is tender but still chewy. Drain in a colander and let cool to room temperature (you will need 1⁄2 cup). Meanwhile, slice off the tops of the apples about a quarter of the way from the top; reserve the tops. Using a melon baller, scoop out the core of each apple to remove all of the seeds. Scoop out about half of the remaining flesh and reserve. Finely chop the reserved flesh and transfer to a medium bowl; add 1⁄2 cup rice (reserve any extra for another use), 4 tablespoons sugar, dates, walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon, mixing to thoroughly combine. Fill the apples with equal amounts of the rice mixture. Replace the tops and fasten with toothpicks. Place the apples in a steaming basket set over about 2 inches of water; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and steam about 15 minutes, or until apples are fork-tender but not mushy. Carefully remove apples from steaming basket and transfer to individual serving bowls or deep-welled plates. (At this point, apples can be served warm or at room temperature, without the sauce, if desired. Alternatively, completely cooled apples can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days before serving chilled or returning to room temperature, without sauce. If serving with sauce, proceed with recipe while apples are still warm.) Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring apple juice and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the cornstarch mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes. To serve, remove toothpick and pour equal amounts of the sauce over the apples and sprinkle with the crystallized ginger, if using. Serve at once.
{PER SERVING} Calories 248 • Protein 2g • Total Fat 3g • Sat Fat 0g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 56g • Dietary Fiber 5g • Sodium 4mg
