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Baked Apples with Caramel Sauce
Tart Granny Smith apples, baked until perfectly tender in a buttery juice glaze, meet a rich homemade caramel sauce in this comforting dessert. Slicing and reassembling the fruit before roasting allows the sweet liquid to seep into every layer. The from-scratch caramel uses evaporated milk and vanilla for a velvety finish that balances the natural acidity of the apples. It's a gorgeous presentation that feels incredibly special, especially when you pour the warm sauce over the top right before eating.
Ingredients
- 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
- ⅔ cup apple juice
- 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
- 1 cup sugar ⅓ cup water 1 Tbsp. butter ½ cup evaporated milk ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 375°F.
- 2Slice each peeled and cored apple horizontally into five pieces. Stack the slices back together to reform the apples and set them in an 11 by 7 inch baking dish. Mix the apple juice with two tablespoons of melted butter and pour the liquid over the fruit.
- 3Roast the apples at 375°F for 45 minutes, or until they are soft. Baste the fruit with the pan juices every 15 minutes during baking.
- 4While the apples bake, mix the sugar and water in a large skillet. Heat the mixture over medium for 15 minutes until it turns a golden color. Don't stir the mixture, as stirring causes the sugar to crystallize and ruins the smooth texture. Use a wet pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan if needed.
- 5Take the skillet off the heat and let it rest for 1 minute. Carefully stir in one tablespoon of butter until it melts completely. Slowly pour in the evaporated milk while stirring continuously.
- 6Return the skillet to medium heat. The caramel will initially harden and stick to your spoon. Continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes until the hardened bits melt and the sauce becomes smooth and slightly thick.
- 7Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- 8Transfer one baked apple stack to each serving plate. Spoon a quarter cup of the warm caramel sauce over the center of each apple so it runs down the sides.
Notes
- Storage: Keep any leftover caramel sauce in the refrigerator. It's delicious served warm over pound cake or vanilla ice cream.
- Optional garnish: Lightly coat fresh rosemary sprigs with simple syrup and dust them generously with sugar. Let them dry for about 1 hour before using them to decorate the plates.