Red Wine Poached Crimson Gold Apples are a stunning fall and winter dessert. Warmly spiced and filled with vanilla mascarpone, they're presented beautifully.

Red wine poached tiny apples with pistachios sprinkled on top.

The red wine completely transforms the Crimson Gold Apples into a rich burgundy color, and fills them with warm, deep flavors.

These little darlings are striking and make for the perfect holiday party dessert.

Your guests will think they're truly stunning, and then when they taste them, they'll think you're truly amazing!

Especially when they find the vanilla mascarpone surprise when they slice into their apples.

What are Crimson Gold Apples?

Several red and gold Crimson Gold apples on a dark background.

A crabapple hybrid, these small apples are red, crimson and gold. (And cute!)

About the size of a golf ball, these apples are adorable and delicious, with a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.
They are about three bites each and their season is typically October through January.
Grown at Cuyama Orchards, these beauties are harvested by hand. Each and every one of them!

Ingredient Notes

Crimson Gold apples - These tiny apples are about the size of a golf ball. If you can't find them, other small apples work too (see Recipe Tips and Substitutions below).
dry red wine - Choose a dry red you'd enjoy drinking, like a Cabernet, Merlot or Shiraz. Some bottles can be on the sweet side, so look for one that's dry.
cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and black peppercorns - These whole spices infuse the wine with warm, cozy flavor. Lightly crush the cardamom pods before adding them.
golden brown sugar - Sweetens the wine and helps it reduce into a syrupy sauce.
lemon - Both the zest and juice add a little brightness.
mascarpone - A rich, silky Italian cream cheese. It's sweetened with powdered sugar and vanilla for the filling.
pistachios - A pretty, festive green garnish.

How to Make Them

This method of poaching the apples can also be applied to pears.

- In a pot large enough to hold all of the fruit, combine wine with brown sugar and any spices being used.

- Bring this to a boil, remove from the heat and stir to be sure the sugar is completely dissolved.

- Peel the apples, leaving the stems intact. Use a melon baller to scoop out a small hole from the bottom of each apple, working your way all the way into the apple to remove the seeds.

Tiny, peeled Crimson Gold apple with seeds and stems removed.

- Add each apple to the wine mixture as you work. Over low-medium heat, simmer just until they're tender, about 1 hour, depending on the size of the apples. Remove the pot from the heat and let them cool.

Crimson Gold apples in red wine poaching liquid.

Crimson Gold apples in red wine poaching liquid with cinnamon stick.

- Use a slotted spoon to add the apples to a plastic container large enough to hold them and the liquid.

- Place a strainer over the container and pour the wine mixture over the apples, straining out any spices you might have added.

- Cover the container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

- Strain the wine mixture into a small sauce pot and set the apples aside. Bring it to a boil, then simmer on low until it's reduced by about ⅔ and has thickened to a syrup, about 20 minutes.

For the Vanilla Mascarpone

- While the wine sauce is reducing, in a tiny bowl, combine the mascarpone with the powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir until it's very smooth. Add this to a small zip-lock bag, remove the air and then seal it. Cut a tiny bit off of one of the corners and then squeeze the mixture into the bottom holes of each apple, filling them completely.

Small red wine-poached Crimson Gold apples being filled with Mascarpone.

One small halved, red wine-poached Crimson Gold apple filled with vanilla mascarpone in the center.

(More detailed instructions are below.)

Where to Find Them

You should be able to find these gems from Melissa's Produce at Whole Foods, Gelson’s and Bristol Farms. They're sold in 1-pound bags and labeled, "Melissa’s Organic Crimson Gold Apples."

I hope you enjoy these oh-so-pretty Red Wine Poached Crimson Gold Apples!

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

Try to choose apples that are all approximately the same size so they will cook evenly and present beautifully.
If you can’t find Crimson Gold apples, crabapples are a great substitute. You can also use other apples on the small side. Just keep in mind that if your apples are a different size or variety, the measurements of the other ingredients will vary.
The longer you marinate them, the deeper the flavors will be.
You can play around with the flavors if you'd like. A few whole cloves would be lovely in addition to, or instead of the cinnamon. You can also switch out the lemon for orange.
I think the green of the chopped pistachios is a beautiful and festive garnish, but you can skip this, or use another nut if you'd like. (Hazelnuts or pecans would be delicious, too.)

Several red wine poached Crimson Gold apples filled with vanilla mascarpone on a white plate with crushed pistachios.

Enjoy!

A few red wine poached tiny apples with pistachio pieces on them.

Red Wine Poached Apples with Vanilla Mascarpone

Valentina K. Wein

Red Wine Poached Crimson Gold Apples are a stunning fall and winter dessert. They're filled with vanilla mascarpone, warmly spiced and presented beautifully.

Please note the long marinating time before you begin.

4.50 from 2 votes

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 1

Marinating 1

Total Time 1 1 45

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 183 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups dry red wine Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz
½ cup golden brown sugar
4 approximately 3-inch cinnamon sticks
5 cardamom pods, crushed
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1½ teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 dozen Crimson Gold Apples or other small apples, see notes
3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
about 1 teaspoon pistachios, roughly chopped

Instructions

Make the red wine marinade. In a medium-sized sauce pot, combine the wine with the brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, peppercorns, lemon zest and juice. Place the pot over high heat and bring it to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir to be sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
Prepare the apples. Peel each apple, leaving the stem intact. Then use a tiny melon baller to gently scoop out a small hole from the bottom of each apple, working your way all the way into the apple to remove the seeds. Add each apple to the wine marinade as you work.
Cook the apples. Place the pot over low-medium heat and bring to a strong simmer. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and simmer just until the apples are tender, about 1 hour. You can test one with a fork -- the apples should slide off the fork with ease when they're ready. Remove the pot from the heat and let them cool at room temperature for about 2 hours.
Marinate. Use a slotted spoon to add the apples to a plastic container large enough to hold them and the liquid. Place a strainer over the container and pour the wine mixture over the apples, straining out the spices. Cover the container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. (The longer you marinate them, the deeper the flavors will be.)
Turn the marinade into a sauce. Strain the wine mixture into a small sauce pot and set the poached apples aside. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately turn the heat to low and simmer until it has reduced by about ⅔ and has thickened to a syrup consistency -- this should take about 20 minutes.
Make the filling and fill the apples. While the wine sauce is reducing, in a tiny bowl, combine the mascarpone with the powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir until it's very smooth. Add this to a small zip-lock bag, remove the air and then seal it. Cut a tiny bit off of one of the corners and then squeeze the mixture into the bottom holes of each apple, filling them completely.
Plate and serve! Place the filled apples on a platter or serving plates, drizzle the reduced wine sauce over them, and sprinkle lightly with the pistachios.

NOTES

Other apples: If you can’t find Crimson Gold apples, crabapples are a great substitute. You can also use other apples on the small side. Just keep in mind that if your apples are a different size or variety, the measurements of the other ingredients will vary.

Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an estimate.

NUTRITION

Keywords dessert for party, fresh fruit desserts, great for Thanksgiving, apple recipes, great for Christmas

Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Comments