Soft Cooked Apples with Cinnamon, Rosemary, and Pine Nuts, and with a Cider Glaze and Goat Cheese -

Soft Cooked Apples with Cinnamon, Rosemary, and Pine Nuts, and with a Cider Glaze and Goat Cheese

Serves 4-6

Soft cooked apples served with a small slice of goat cheese for an additional touch of flavor, makes a simple dessert for a cool fall evening.

4 small apples I used California Sweeties, but a honeycrisp or fuji would work well, halved
2 tablespoons pine nuts toasted
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider
Sea salt
Plain goat cheese for serving

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the sugar into a small bowl. Add the cider and whisk until the sugar has dissolved and smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the rosemary. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Working in batches if you need to, add the apples to the skillet and cook on each side, for approximately 4 minutes total. Transfer the apples, cut side up, to a large baking sheet. Sprinkle the cinnamon and additional 1 tablespoon of rosemary over the top. Season with a little sea salt. Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for approximately 20 minutes. They should be soft, but not overcooked. Remove from the oven.
While the apples are cooking, add the cider mixture to a small pot and gently cook over low heat for 1 minute. Stir in the pine nuts and cook for an additional 1 minute, stirring. Remove from the heat.
When the apples are finished cooking, arrange them on a serving platter or on individual plates. Spoon the cider mixture over the top of the apples. Serve with a small slice of plain soft goat cheese on the side.