There is no easier dessert to make at home than this. What is also great is that it makes a nice presentation if you have company over.
It is entirely made from scratch, but before you decide that is too daunting, read the full recipe. It is actually easy and made with things you probably already have on hand.
To make my baked apples with caramel sauce, you will need:
Apples, I like small gala apples peel and cored. If you don’t have an apple corer, just use a long paring knife. You will need one apple per guest.
1/2 cup of sugar in a shallow bowl (for rolling the apples)
Vanilla
Cinnamon
Butter
Butter Crust:
1 1/4 cup unbeached, all-purpose flour (bleached works as well)
1 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 stick of unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2” squares
Ice water
Caramel Sauce:
1 cup packed brown sugar (white sugar will work in a pinch)
1/2 cup of whipping cream (milk will work)
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
Dash of salt
1 tsp vanilla
Prepare apples.
For crust, combine flour, salt and butter in a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add 3 Tbsps of ice water. Process for about 10 seconds. Add 1 Tbsp of water, process for about 10 seconds. Continue adding water and processing until dough forms a ball, up to 5 Tbsps.
Roll each peeled, cored apple in sugar.
Seperate dough into 4 balls. Roll each out until it is large enough to cover the apple. Place an apple in the middle of a circle of dough. Add 1 tsp butter, 1/8 tsp vanilla, and 1/8 tsp of cinnamon to the center of the apple. Wrap the dough over the apple. I leave a small opening in the top of the crust so that steam may escape. Otherwise, your dough may split in order to allow steam out. Continue until all the apples are prepared. Place the apples on a foil or Silpat lined baking sheet.
Bake in a 350 degree oven until apples are soft, about 30-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the caramel sauce in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Heat until sugar melts, about 7-10 minutes.
Once apples are ready, place one on a shallow soup bowl, then drizzle with caramel sauce. Do the same with the other apples to be served. If you really want to gild the lily, serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream and/or a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
If you don’t want to make the sauce or crust, use prepackaged. Or if you have your own favorite recipes for those, feel free to use them.
This will make up to four small apples. I only had large apples on hand, so I only had enough crust to make two.