Sweets and desserts

Maçã assada

Baked apple with cinnamon, sugar and butter — comforting simplicity from Portuguese winter cooking.

Region/occasionNational / simple dessert
DifficultyEasy
Total time45 min
Yield4 servings
Photo of Maçã assada — traditional Portuguese recipe
Photo of the traditional Portuguese recipe.

Editorial content from Empório Portugal. Traditional recipes may vary by region, family and cook.

About the recipe

Maçã assada is a home dessert of rare simplicity, common on winter tables.

The oven concentrates the fruit juices and scents them with cinnamon and butter.

As with many Portuguese recipes, there are variations by region, family and cook — with honey, walnuts or port wine.

Ingredients

  • 4 baking apples
  • 4 tablespoons soft brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 40 g butter
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 100 ml water or white wine

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  2. Core the apples with an apple corer or knife.
  3. Mix the sugar and cinnamon; fill the apples.
  4. Place in a baking dish, add a little butter to each and drizzle with lemon and water.
  5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, basting occasionally, until soft.
  6. Serve warm with the juices from the dish.

Tips from Empório Portugal

  • Tart apples balance the sugar.
  • Serving with vanilla ice cream is a popular modern pairing.
  • Basting during baking prevents drying out.

Possible replacements in Brazil

  • Honey can replace part of the sugar.
  • Chopped walnuts can be added to the filling.

Pairing

Apple-and-cinnamon tea or a sweet white wine. Content intended for adults over 18 when wine is used. Drink in moderation.

Editorial note from Empório Portugal

This recipe is part of the editorial curation of Empório Portugal, developed from the Portuguese culinary tradition. Like any traditional recipe, it can vary depending on the region, the family and the cook.

Do you have a family Portuguese recipe?

Send it to the Empório Portugal community. The recipes received are analyzed before any publication.

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Quick facts

Prep
10 min
Cooking
35 min
Total time
45 min
Yield
4 servings
Difficulty
Easy
Occasion
Winter, home dessert

Pairing

Apple-and-cinnamon tea or a sweet white wine. Content intended for adults over 18 when wine is used. Drink in moderation.

Tips from Empório Portugal

Tart apples balance the sugar.

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