Caramelized Apple Delight

🕒 Prep: 10 min
🔥 Cook: 45 min
🍽 Serves: 4
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Caramelized Apple Delight is the perfect treat for any season, featuring the comforting flavors of autumn. This recipe brings together the sweet, caramelized goodness of apples with a crunchy and tangy twist. It's an easy, yet impressive dessert that will wow your family and guests.

Ingredients for Caramelized Apple Delight

Apples are the star of the show, providing a juicy, sweet base that caramelizes beautifully. Choose a firm variety like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp.

Unsalted butter is used to create the rich caramel sauce, allowing you to control the saltiness.

Brown sugar melts into a delicious caramel that coats the apples perfectly, adding depth and sweetness.

Cinnamon and nutmeg bring warm, cozy flavors that complement the sweetness of the apples.

Pecans add a nutty crunch, while dried cranberries offer a tangy contrast.

Apple cider keeps the apples moist as they bake and enhances their natural flavor.

A pinch of salt balances the sweetness, rounding out the flavors.

Tips & Tricks

  • Use a melon baller to core your apples neatly and easily.
  • If the caramel sauce starts to harden while the apples bake, gently reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.
  • For an extra indulgent touch, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of the warm apples before serving.

Serving Suggestions

This Caramelized Apple Delight pairs beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. For a more elegant presentation, serve it with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce and a sprinkle of extra chopped pecans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use different nuts in this recipe?
Absolutely! Walnuts or almonds would also work well.
What if I don't have apple cider?
You can substitute it with apple juice or even water, though cider adds the best flavor.
How long do leftovers keep?
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, they’ll last about 3 days.

Caramelized Apple Delight Recipe Walkthrough

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). While the oven heats up, prepare the apples. Using a corer or a small knife, carefully remove the core of each apple, ensuring you leave the bottom intact. This will hold all the delicious filling in place. Arrange the cored apples snugly in a baking dish.

Next, it's time to make the caramel sauce. In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir in 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Stir continuously until the mixture becomes smooth and starts to bubble gently.

Pour half of this caramel mixture over the apples in the baking dish, making sure each apple gets a good coating. Set the remaining sauce aside for later.

Now, take the chopped pecans and dried cranberries, and stuff them into the hollowed cores of the apples. This adds a fantastic texture and flavor contrast to the soft apples and caramel.

Pour 1/4 cup of apple cider into the baking dish, making sure it covers the bottom. This will create steam and help the apples bake evenly.

Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. To ensure the apples stay moist and flavorful, baste them with the cider from the dish every 15 minutes. You'll know they're done when the apples are tender and easily pierced with a fork.

Once baked, remove the dish from the oven and drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over the apples. Serve them warm, and enjoy the delightful combination of textures and flavors.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Combines the warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg with sweet apples.
  • The pecans add a delightful crunch.
  • It's a simple, yet elegant dessert that looks like it took hours.
  • Perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors.

Ingredients

4 large apples
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup apple cider
Pinch of salt

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Core the apples, leaving the bottom intact, and place them in a baking dish.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
4. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is smooth and bubbling.
5. Pour half of the caramel sauce over the apples, reserving the rest.
6. Fill each apple core with chopped pecans and dried cranberries.
7. Pour apple cider into the baking dish to cover the bottom.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, basting the apples with the cider every 15 minutes.
9. Once the apples are tender, remove from the oven and drizzle with the remaining caramel sauce before serving.

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