Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking dish, or line with parchment. It’s good to use something with higher sides to keep the juices in. In a small bowl, cream brown sugar, cinnamon, spices, cornstarch and salt into the butter. Add the vanilla, raisins and nuts, blending well. Wash the apples well. If they don’t sit flat, slice a tiny bit off the bottom. Using the apple corer, remove the core, being sure to get all the fibre and seeds. (Tip: start from the top; sometimes the exit point tears the skin a little – if it’s on the bottom it won’t affect the presentation.) With a small paring knife or sharp vegetable peeler, remove a band of skin around the centre of the apple (like a belt). This will keep the apple skin from bursting as the apple cooks. Stuff each apple with filling. Place in baking dish and bake for about 20 minutes or until tender. Baste partway through by spooning any cooking juices over apples. Poke with a toothpick or skewer to check for doneness – they should be holding their shape but feel tender-firm