Think of this like a sundae in reverse. The apples are cooked in sugar on the stovetop until the sugar begins to darken, then cream is poured in to make a one-pot apple caramel sauce. Instead of spooning this over ice cream, the chunky sweet/salty apple caramel is the base of the dessert, which gets topped with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream.
Salted Butter Caramel Apple Sundaes
Think of this like a sundae in reverse. The apples are cooked in sugar on the stovetop until the sugar begins to darken, then cream is poured in to make a one-pot apple caramel sauce. Instead of spooning this over ice cream, the chunky sweet/salty apple caramel is the base of the dessert, which gets topped with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- 4 large apples, a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ vanilla bean, or use 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream
- chopped walnuts for topping
Instructions
- Peel and core the apples, then cut into wedges about ¼” thick. Place them into a medium saucepan with the sugar and cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of water. Begin warming the pot over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved. Cook the apples over medium low heat until they are softened, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the apples to a bowl using a slotted spoon, keeping as much liquid as possible in the pot. Increase the heat to high and continue to cook without stirring until the sugar begins to turn amber brown. Immediately pour the heavy cream into the pot. Be careful as it could sizzle and the sugar could seize up.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and stir with a heat proof spatula until the sugar is incorporated into the cream and creates a smooth sauce. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the pot, adding the bean pod as well. Stir in the butter, then once it’s melted, return the apples to the pot. Let the mixture simmer over medium heat for another 3-5 minutes until thickened.
- To serve, carefully remove the vanilla bean pods and cinnamon stick from the apple caramel and discard. Spoon the apples and sauce into bowls and top with ice cream. Sprinkle the walnuts on top, and if there's any sauce left in the pot, drizzle it over the ice cream. The apple caramel can be made ahead of time, cooled and refrigerated. Reheat the apples and sauce before serving.
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