You'll love the effect this recipe for baked apples will have on your house. As the apples and cinnamon
are baking, your kitchen will fill with the most divine smell - almost as good as this baked apple recipe tastes!
A French Idiom
This recipe for baked apples is called Pommes Bonne Femme in French. You will find many simple recipes
in France with the term bonne femme tacked on the end. The literal translation would be Good Woman Apples,
but bonne femme, or good woman, has several additional meanings in French.
Often when people refer to a woman as a bonne femme, it is because she is old and feeble. Which is sort
of funny because one of the meanings of a bonhomme (or good man) is an old man in robust shape.
You will also hear people use the term bonne femme in a derogatory fashion referring to a peasant woman,
or someone who they are assuming to be simple minded. Not too complimentary really.
Apples with a Good Reputation
But it is possible this recipe for baked apples got its name for a different reason. According to some
linguists the term bonne femme, when applied to things like recipes or medical remedies, actually derives
from the latin words bona fama, referring to something of good reputation. So perhaps these apples are well
known for being good.
They certainly are in our house. I made this recipe with Pink Ladies, and although the apples lost all
of their pretty blush, the results were outstanding for minimal effort.
To give this dessert the extra French touch, sprinkle with a few toasted slivered almonds and a teaspoon
of
red currant jelly.
Pommes Bonne Femme
- 6 cooking apples (Pink Lady give delicious results)
- 3 tablespoons softened butter
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- toasted slivered almonds and red currant jelly (optional)
Remove the core from each apple leaving it whole (an apple corer is of course handy for this, but a paring
knife will work if you cut carefully). Place the apples side by side in a baking dish.
Mix the butter, sugar, cinnamon and raisins (if you are using them) and spoon the mixture into the cored
apples. Add two tablespoons of water to the baking dish and place in a 400°F oven for one hour. Bake until
soft (may take longer if the apples are large).
Serve warm and drizzled with cream and any sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
Makes 6 servings
Related Recipes . . .
Print Recipe
