Quick Caramelised Apples

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I love holidays, it means I can try different things I've never tried.  My family never seem to complain either.

I have never made caramelised apples before, but I woke up with a hankering for apples, caramel and pancakes.  This was followed by a quick google of how to do this.  As is usually the case, I never find the recipe that my mind wants, I had to do a bit of adapting.

It turned out this was super easy and I'm already imagining the different adaptations I can try depending on what I want.  That's what I love about simple recipes, they can be changed so easily.

Quicker than quick

I peeled two of my apples and left the skin on for one for a bit more texture.  I cut the apples into slices (about 12 per apple) then cut all of those in half to have bite-sized pieces.

Simple ingredients and quick too

Once the sugar goes into the pan, the smells become excellent.  You can also start to really see what the final product will look like, and it is worth just watching the sugar and butter bubble together.

Don't let all of the moisture disappear


The pancakes worked well, but I can imagine waffles and ice cream would be a match made in heaven.


With pancakes it is great, but ice cream or waffles would work too


Non-negotiables

  1. Sugar - the type of sugar you choose will totally change the final taste of the apples, but that's a good thing.  Light brown will give more caramelisation than white, and dark brown sugar (with the extra molasses) will add even more caramelisation.  You don't want too much if your meal is rich, but they add a lovely bit of sweetness to other dishes
  2. Apples - I used Granny Smith because that's what I had.  They made the final result have a lovely texture and affected how much acid I added.  If you want really mushy apples then use Cox or Golden Delicious (they are also a bit sweeter so you could use less sugar), if you want a crunchier texture you can use Granny Smith or Pink Ladies.  Just match the sweetness and crunch of the apple to the texture you want
  3. Acid - some measure of acid is needed to temper the sweetness of the caramel.  I used lemon juice ( a dash) which made a huge difference.  If I was eating a sweeter apple then I would add a little more acid.


Variations

You can change the type of sugar and apples and these will totally change the final result (not in a bad way). See above for different ways you can change the apples and the sugar.

Next time I will definitely add some spices.  For the first time in forever I didn't add cinnamon, but I think nutmeg, cardamom, cloves and all spice would all work in the right quantities.  Little goes a long way in this recipe so don't go too heavy at the start.


Cooking tips

This is such a simple recipe there are only a few tips.  The main one is to not let the butter burn.  Wait for the pan to heat up before adding the butter.  When you've added the butter, wait for the main, crazy bubbling to subside before adding anything else.

Don't forget that you can eat all of these ingredients raw, so don't get fooled into overcooking the apples so that they end up a mushy mess (or worse, a burnt sugar abomination).

The acid is absolutely essential.  Even if it's not lemon juice, something is needed; I love sweet foods, but the acid makes it taste even better so definitely add a little.


Caramelised Apples


Serves - 3
Time - 10 minutes


Ingredients

3 Apples

3 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp lemon juice


Method

1. Peel and slice the apples into small pieces

2. Heat the butter in a pan on medium heat.

3. Wait for the big bubbles to subside then add the apples. Stir occasionally

4.  When the apples are almost the perfect texture, add the sugar and stir to coat.

5.  Cook until the apples gain a bit more colour and are almost catching.

6.  Add the lemon juice, stir then serve.


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