I had such high hopes for this one, but it didn’t turn out quite as I had hoped. The Rome Beauty apples had turned mushy though the Gala apple held firm. I wish the syrup had turned out a little thicker so I might have been able to really sop it up with a bite of apple and some of the cinnamon-raisin filling.

Roasted fruit is one of my new favorite things for breakfast so below the recipe for Cinnamony Baked Apples, you’ll find one for Roasted Plums with Toasted Hazelnuts and Greek Yogurt. Feel free to get your hopes up for that one – they won’t be dashed.

Cinnamony Baked Apples
6 portions

2 cups water
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 medium-large tart baking apples, washed
3/4 cups raisins
1/2 cup shelled pecans, chopped
1 tablespoons grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons Calvados or applejack
3 tablespoons sweet butter

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Mix water, 3/4 cup of the brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoons of the cinnamon and the lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Remove syrup from heat and reserve.

3. Remove the apple cores, but do not cut all the way through the bottoms.

4. In a bowl, mix remaining 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, the raisins, pecans, lemon zest and remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

Roasted Plums with Toasted Hazelnuts and Greek Yogurt
4 servings 

Parchment paper

6 dark plums, halved and pitted (or pears if plums aren’t in season)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup 2 percent Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted in the oven at 375°F for 7 minutes, chopped
2 teaspoons honey

Heat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place plums cut side up on sheet, brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until soft and some juices run off, about 15 minutes. Divide among 4 bowls, top each with 2 tablespoons yogurt, sprinkle with nuts and drizzle with honey.

Recipe adapted from Peter Hoffman in the September 2008 issue of Self magazine. To visit recipe on Epicurious website, click here.