Apple Week - The Desserts

Of course the desserts of Apple Week were my favorite; I am pretty sure I will always favor the dessert more than the entree and I'm alright with that...carpe diem and all that. Anywho, there was really only one dessert- caramel apples. However the entree of Saturday morning- Apple Puffed Pancake- is considered a dessert in my book. Yum!

Nick made the Apple Puffed Pancake for us, so while I can't give you any great insights to making it, here is the recipe.

Apple Puffed Pancake

6 eggs

1 1/2 c milk

1 c flour

3 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 lb (or 1 stick/8 Tbsp) butter

2 apples, peeled and sliced (thinly)

2-3 Tbsp brown sugar

Heat oven to 425*.

Melt butter in a 9x13 pan.

Add apples and return to oven until butter sizzles.

Mix all other ingredients, except brown sugar, in a blender for a few minutes.

Pour over sizzling butter.

Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake for 20 minutes.

We served our pieces with whipped cream and maple syrup...absolutely delightful! It was especially great because 1) I did not have to cook it and 2) because I didn't cook it I didn't fret over how much butter, etc. went in to it, thus I thoroughly enjoyed eating every single bite! I apologize for the pictures...I forgot to snap one until after we had already cut it.

Next up, caramel apples...or as I will refer to them, Gourmet Caramel Apples. As I mentioned previously, my sister Amy had gone to an activity where they gave some tips on how to make them and I was anxious to try them out. Many of these tips are from her.

Gourmet Caramel Apples

First you must remove the wax the grocery stores put on the apples that make them shiny...this will help the caramel to stick. Either scrub them with baking soda water or dip them quickly in boiling water. I dipped mine in boiling water just for a second and then wiped the wax off with a cloth. It is amazing...you wonder how you will know if you got the wax off but you can really just tell. The wax turned whitish when I dipped mine in boiling water so I knew exactly what to wipe off. Afterwards your apples will be obviously more dull than before.

Remove the stems and push your sticks in all the way to the bottom.

I used bamboo skewers (I cut them down a little) that I had on hand instead of

traditional popsicle sticks and they worked fine.

Then you have to get the apples very cold. Refrigerate for a while...I took the wax off during one of Leo's naps and then caramel-fied them when he was in bed,

so mine chilled for many hours.

Melt caramels on low heat in a saucepan with 1 Tbsp of milk for every 7 oz. of caramels

(most "regular" sized bags of caramels are 7 oz.)

Now you are ready to caramel your apples...but you only get to do it one at a time.

The caramel sets quickly and so if you want to put any toppings on your apple...nuts, marshmallows, M&Ms, cookie crumbs, etc...have them ready!

As soon as your caramel is all melted, take it off the heat (but don't turn the heat off). Grab one apple from the fridge and coat with caramel. Hurry and coat with any additional toppings if you want to and then return to the fridge on parchment or wax paper.

Put your caramel back on the heat and stir for a minute until it is perfectly melted again. Then remove from heat again and continue "carameling" apples one by one.

Let them set in the fridge until hard before drizzling with chocolate, if you choose.

*If your caramel sets too quickly and you don't get your whole apple covered with toppings, use the melted caramel in the saucepan as "glue" and place your toppings where you want. That is how I got my marshmallows so even in the last picture!*

To drizzle with chocolate, melt bark or chips in microwave

(30 seconds, stir, 30 seconds, stir, and on and on until it is nice and smooth).

After the chocolate is nice and smooth, add just a little vegetable oil...until the chocolate falls off your spoon in a thin ribbon. Grab your apple from the fridge, hold over wax paper, and drizzle with the chocolate to your liking. This is also a great time to add any toppings, like nuts, that didn't stick to your caramel apple originally...

the chocolate takes a little longer to set than the caramel does.

Mostly have fun! Making Gourmet Caramel Apples totally made it feel like Fall to me...even if it was still hot and humid outside.

So there you have it...all of my apple endeavors. I love apples- Granny Smiths with salt or Galas are my favorites- and trying new recipes or tricks was fun. I really love almost any "seasonal" flavors...maybe I will have to do a Pumpkin Week next?!?