An old Egyptian dream book states that "to dream of looking at apples betokens a wedding. To dream of eating apples is a sign of mourning unless they are very sweet, then it is a sign of a great deal of prosperity in the marriage state". Apples have travelled from the Old World to the New, but for some reason, we haven't created as many interesting desserts with them as the Europeans. We seem to limit ourselves to pies, crunchy puddings, applesauce and jelly. This is one new way to try apples.

When possible, use the large Rome Beauty apples

Core apples and peel skin about 1/3 of the way down from the stem end. Pierce the rest of the skin all over with a fork to lessen wrinkling and splitting. Place apples in a large, deep pan that has a good cover and add water to a depth of 1/4 inch. Mix jam with orange rind and nuts, fill the centre of each apple, then sprinkle sugar over top. Bring water in pan to a boil, then cover, lower heat and simmer 20-30 minutes, depending on size of apples. Baste 2-3 times with pan juices. To glaze apples, uncover when cooled, sprinkle top with an additional tbsp of sugar and place under broiler 3 inches from heat until lightly browned. Watch closely, as they brown very quickly. Serve warm, tepid or cold. Serves 6.

Stevens