Bratäpfel (German baked apples) and vanilla sauce recipe

Stuffed with marzipan, walnuts, raisins and homemade jam, this German style baked apples recipe is a longtime family favorite. The tender, juicy and perfectly cooked apples taste amazing served warm out of the oven with vanilla sauce, but you could also serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipping cream.

No autumn or winter without Brätapfel with homemade vanilla sauce when it comes to my family in law. Like seriously my mum in law makes them almost every Sunday. And this is how I learned how to make Bratäpfel.

When making baked apples, you want to use sweet and slightly tart apples with a firm fresh: a) so that they hold their shape when cooked. b) slightly tart apples make a great contrast to the sweet filling.

Bratapfel recipe apple filling

The beauty of this recipe is that you can adjust the filling to your liking.

• I’ve used homemade red currant jam to make the baked apples, but you could also use apricot jam, honey or any other jam of your choice.
•  If the raisins that you’re using are hard, just pour hot water or apple juice over them to make them soft. You could also soak the raisins in rum if kids won’t be eating them.
• Sometimes I also dust the apples with gingerbread spice mix instead of cinnamon.
• You don’t have walnuts home, no problem, almonds or hazelnuts will work as well.
• For my vanilla sauce I’ve used vanilla sugar to make it, but if you don’t have access to vanilla sugar or you’re too lazy to make your own, simply use regular sugar and about a ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.

What you’ll need to make German baked apples

• 4 firm red apples or golden delicious
• 100 g (3.5 oz) marzipan
• handful raisins
• handful walnuts
• 2 tablespoons jam (I’ve used homemade red currant jelly)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• about 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

What you will need to make the German vanilla sauce

• 200 ml (about 6.8 fl.oz/ ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon) milk
• 100 ml (about 3.4 fl.oz / ½ cup – 1 tablespoon) heavy cream (whipping cream)
• ½ tablespoon corn flour (cornstarch)
• 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla sugar
• 1 egg yolk

How to make baked apples with marzipan and walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F), with both top and bottom heat. Now using a paring knife, core the whole apple, such that in the end you have a hole.

I normally core the apples from top to middle and then from bottom to middle, then remove the core and scrape away any parts of the core left behind. (You could also use an apple corer to make your life easier).

Next dust the inside of each apple hole with about ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and place them in a shallow baking dish.

Now stuff each apple. Start with marzipan, followed by walnuts and then raisins and jam. Repeat the process until the hole is completely stuffed.

It’s better to end with marzipan or nuts, since the raisins taste bitter once burned.

Drizzle the apples with lemon juice and bake for about 35 minutes.

How to make a quick vanilla sauce

While the apples are in the oven you make the quickest and easiest vanilla sauce, made entirely from scratch.

In a pot combine milk, heavy cream and vanilla sugar and heat over medium heat. While the milk mixture is cooking, separate the egg and keep egg yolk. Beat egg yolk, then add corn flour and combine well.

Pour a small amount of warm milk mixture over the egg yolk – corn flour mixture and stir well. Add the egg mixtures to the pot. Keep stirring constantly until the sauce starts to bubble and has thickened.

Serve with baked apples and enjoy.

Did you make this bratapfel recipe with vanilla sauce? I’d love to hear from you! Simply write a review and add rating to it.