Baked Caramel Apples

TO MAKE THE CARAMEL

Step 1: Lay the cinnamon sticks directly on the flame of a gas burner set to medium-low heat. (Alternatively, you can toast the sticks in a dry cast-iron pan over medium heat). Using tongs, rotate them to toast evenly, allowing for some burnt spots but not many, and blowing out any flame that may fire-up. Transfer the toasted sticks into a small saucepan. Add the thickened cream and vanilla bean and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to a heatproof bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let steep until cool.

Step 2: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and ¼ cup water with the maple syrup and bring to the boil. Let cook, carefully swirling the saucepan to ensure sugar crystals on the sides dissolve, until dark amber. Add the cream mixture and the butter and cook, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat, until the clumps of caramel dissolve. You may need to stir this for around 10 minutes. Add the whisky and salt and simmer for 1 minute more.

Step 3: Into a medium heatproof bowl, pour the caramel through a fine-mesh sieve (you should have about 1½ cups) and set aside. Note: The caramel can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours, or covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before using.

TO PREPARE THE APPLES

Step 4: Using a muffin tray and pieces of aluminium foil, make foil “nests”, one for each apple, in each of the muffin spaces. The foil will help retain the shape of the apples as they soften during the cooking process, and will also collect any juices that may be released.

Step 5: Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

Step 6: Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and place the sugar in a medium bowl. Spray each foil “nest” lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

Step 7: Peel the top 2 cm of each apple. Using a melon baller, or sharp paring knife or teaspoon, carefully scoop out the stem and seeds, leaving at least the bottom 1 cm of the seed cavity intact and an opening for the ice cream to be positioned on top at the end of the cooking.

Step 8: Roll the apples in the melted butter and then the sugar and place each apple in a nest of foil. Make sure the foil sits snugly around the apple, but leave the tops of the apples exposed.

Step 9: Put the apples into the preheated oven and roast uncovered for 30-35 minutes. Test each apple with a metal skewer after about 25 minutes — you want a soft texture, not a collapsed one.

Step 10: Remove the tray from the oven and let rest until the foil is cool enough to handle. Unwrap the apples (reserve the cooking juices) and set each one in the center of a shallow bowl.

Step 11: Reheat the cinnamon caramel as needed, adding any accumulated apple-cooking juices if desired.

Step 12: To serve: Top each apple with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (optional) and a generous dollop of warm cinnamon caramel, and serve immediately.