Fruit Recipes for babies aged 9-12 months

Baked Apples with Raisins

Cooking apples have a better flavour but eating apples are sweeter. You can use either for this recipe. The apples are delicious served with ice cream or custard
 

MAKES 6 PORTIONS

2 apples,

a little powdered cinnamon

120ml/4floz apple juice or water,

1 dessertspoon maple syrup(if using cooking apples)

2 tablespoons raisins,

a little butter or margarine

Core the apples and prick the skins with a fork to stop them bursting. Put the apples in an ovenproof dish and pour the apple juice around the base. Put 1 tablespoon of the raisins into the centre of each apple, sprinkle with cinnamon and pour over maple syrup(if using cooking apples). Top each with a little butter. Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F(180°C) Gas 4 for about 45 minutes.
For young babies scoop out the pulp of the apple and purée roughly with the raisins and some of the juices from the dish

Apple and Blackberry

Blackberries and apples make a delicious combination, and the blackberries(which are rich in vitamin C) turn the apples dark red. This also makes a great filling for a crumble.(see toddlers desserts)
 

MAKES 8 PORTIONS 

2 cooking apples, peeled, cored & sliced

100g/4oz blackberries

Caster sugar to taste

Cook the apples with the blackberries in a saucepan with the sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Cook until the apples are soft(about 10 minutes). Put the fruit through a mouli to make into a smooth purée.

Rice Pudding with Peaches

MAKES 8-10 PORTIONS

600ml/1 pint milk

1 cinnamon stick

2 ripe peaches, skinned

1 heaped tablespoon raisins

120ml/4floz peach or apple juice

60g/2¼oz pudding rice

15g/½oz each of vanilla and brown sugars, or 25g/1oz caster sugar

Bring the milk to the boil, add the rice, sugar and cinnamon stick and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour, 40 minutes until the rice is tender. Alternatively, bake in a buttered dish for about 2 hours at 300°F(150°)gas 2, stirring after 30 minutes.
Meanwhile purée the peaches, and simmer the raisins in the peach or apple juice. When the rice pudding is cooked, stir in the peach purée, raisins and fruit juice. 

Fresh Pear with Semolina

This recipe is also good with apricots or apple purée with cinnamon. If you do not have any semolina, you can add a finely crushed rusk to the milk.(which does not have to be boiled)

MAKES 2 PORTIONS

1 tablespoon semolina

1 ripe pear, peeled, cored and sliced

120ml/4floz milk

Put the semolina and milk in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Add the pear, if using, then put all the ingredients through a mouli to make a purée or chop the pear finely

Strawberry Rice Pudding

The secret of a good rice pudding is long, slow, gentle cooking. Make it after breakfast and it will be ready in time for lunch.
 

MAKES 6 PORTIONS

50g/2oz short-grain brown rice

1 dessertspoon strawberry jam

¼ teaspoon vanilla essence

600ml/1 pint milk

a little butter

Put the rice, vanilla and strawberry jam into a buttered ovenproof dish. Pour over the milk, dot with the butter and cook in an oven heated to 300°F(150°C)Gas 2 for 3 hours. Stir the mixture well after 30 minutes. Serve with extra strawberry jam whirled into the rice pudding.

Cheese and Raisin Delight

This makes a delicious combination and is very nutritious
 

MAKES 2 PORTIONS

25g/1oz Gruyére cheese

15g/½oz raisins

½ small apple, peeled

1 tablespoon fromage frais

Grate the Gruyére cheese and apple and mix in the raisins and fromage frais. For young babies who do not chew, put all the ingredients in the blender for about 1 minute.

Yogurt with Dried Fruit

Serve this warm with some vanilla ice cream as a special treat
 

MAKES 12 PORTIONS

50g/2oz dried apples

50g/2oz canned prunes, stoned & drained

150g/5oz natural yogurt

1 ripe pear, peeled, cored & chopped

175ml/6floz natural apple juice

Put the apples in a saucepan with the apple juice, bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. After 10 minutes add the pear pieces. Drain the apples and pear and put through a mouli together with the prunes. add the yogurt and mix it together with the fruit in a blender.