Golden Delicious, Pippin, Granny Smith, and other firm all-purpose apples hold their shape when baked.

I. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange in a deep baking dish or heavy pot:

Divide evenly among the hollows:

If desired, sprinkle with:

Pour into the dish:

Cover tightly with foil or a lid and bake until the apples are nearly tender when pierced with a fork but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake the apples, basting frequently with the cooking juices, until soft but still firm enough to hold their shape, 20 minutes longer. If the juices are thin, transfer the apples to a serving dish and reduce the juices in the dish, then pour over the apples. Serve hot or chilled.

II. A richer dish than I above. This may be assembled up to 8 hours ahead, refrigerated, uncovered, then baked.

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Core and peel:

Pour into a small bowl:

Place in another bowl:

Roll each apple in the cream, then roll in the sugar until coated. Reserve the leftover cream. Place the apples in a 13 × 9-inch baking dish. Combine in a bowl, then stuff into the hollows of the apples:

Mix together the leftover cream and sugar, then stir in:

Spoon as much of this mixture into the hollows of the apples as they will hold, then pour the rest into the bottom of the pan, along with:

Bake, uncovered, without basting, until the apples are tender when pierced with a fork but still hold their shape, about 1 hour. Serve warm with the pan syrup, accompanied with: