Dutch Oven Baked Apples
Whole apples stuffed with brown sugar and raisins, baked over coals until they collapse.
- calories
- 330
- weight
- 9 oz
- cal / oz
- 37
- protein
- 1 g
- serves
- 6, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 30 min
- total time
- 40 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dessert
- Dutch oven
- Campfire coals
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Grab and go
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Apples | 1 per person | a firm baking apple holds its shape |
|---|---|---|
| Raisins | 1 oz per apple | |
| Brown sugar | 1 tbsp per apple | |
| Canned pineapple rings | 1 ring per apple | keep the can, you need the juice |
| Maraschino cherries | 1 per apple |
Method
- Core each apple from the top. Leave the bottom intact so the filling stays put.
- Pack the core hole with brown sugar and raisins. Push it down with a spoon handle.
- Stand the apples upright in a 12-inch dutch oven, stem end up, filling the floor.
- Lay a pineapple ring over each apple and set a cherry in the middle of the ring.
- Pour the juice from the pineapple can over everything.
- Lid on. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes: coals split roughly 8 under and 17 on the lid.
- Check with a knife tip. The apple should give with no resistance.
Nothing here is really candied. The brown sugar melts into the pineapple juice in the bottom of the oven and steams the apples from below while the coals on the lid work on them from above. That is what makes them collapse instead of just going warm.
The juice matters more than it looks. A dry dutch oven scorches the sugar and the apple skins split before the middles soften. Keep half an inch of liquid on the floor and you can leave the oven alone for the full thirty minutes. This one is car camping only: whole apples and a can are heavy, and a 12-inch dutch oven is not going in a pack.
Packing
Apples and the pineapple can ride fine in a bin. Portion the raisins and brown sugar together into one bag at home so camp is just spooning.
Variations
- Dried cranberries in place of raisins if you want less sweetness.
- A dash of cinnamon in the sugar bag.
- No canned pineapple? Apple juice or cider in the bottom of the oven works the same way.
https://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/recipe/candied_apples-235.asp