Warm Maple Apples with Coconut Milk Kefir and Toasted Pecans

Warm apples, maple and cinnamon are autumn comfort in their simplest form.

A small spoonful of cool coconut milk kefir gives the apples a creamy, lightly tangy finish, while toasted pecans bring just enough crunch. Serve it as a small breakfast, an afternoon snack or a simple dessert that does not ask much of you.

Ingredients

Makes 4 small servings

• 3 apples
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1½ tablespoons maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• A small pinch of salt
• ¼ cup pecans, roughly chopped
• ¾ cup coconut milk kefir, about 3 tablespoons per serving
• A little extra maple syrup, if desired

Toast the Pecans

Place the pecans in a small dry skillet over medium low heat.

Toast them for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until they smell warm and nutty.

Keep an eye on them. There is a very short distance between beautifully toasted and considerably more toasted than you intended.

Transfer the pecans to a small bowl and set them aside.

Cook the Apples

Leave the peel on the apples if you like a little colour and texture. Remove the cores and cut the apples into rough pieces. They do not need to be perfectly even.

Melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the apples, maple syrup, cinnamon and a small pinch of salt. Stir until the pieces are lightly coated.

Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender around the edges but still hold their shape. The maple and butter should gather at the bottom of the skillet in a light, glossy syrup.

If the skillet begins to look dry before the apples are tender, add a tablespoon of water and continue cooking gently.

Remove the skillet from the heat and let the apples cool for 5 to 10 minutes. They should still be pleasantly warm, but not piping hot when you add the kefir.

Build the Ramekins

Divide the warm apples among four small ramekins or dessert bowls. Make sure each serving gets a little of the cinnamon maple syrup from the skillet.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of cold coconut milk kefir over each serving.

Finish with the toasted pecans and a very small drizzle of maple syrup if you would like a little more sweetness.

Serve while the apples are still warm and the kefir is cool.

Make It Your Own

Use pears when that is what you have on hand, or replace the pecans with pumpkin seeds.

Eat as dessert or breakfast!

Make It Local

We love making this with apples from any local farmers market and pure Nova Scotia maple syrup. Our coconut milk kefir brings a cool, creamy contrast to the warm apples and toasted pecans. It is a small serving, but a very good one.