Caramelized apples - a dessert of haute European cuisine
An extraordinary combination of sweet molasses and sour fruit makes caramelized apples a royal dessert. In addition to its amazing taste, this dish surprises with its spectacular appearance. Its preparation technology is so diverse that there is no need to adhere to the recipe exactly. The amount of ingredients is calculated depending on the preferences and capabilities of the cook.
Whole apples in caramel
They are washed thoroughly and left to dry on a towel. Then the stalk is carefully removed.
A wooden Chinese stick is inserted into the resulting funnel and the sweet syrup is prepared:
- a metal saucepan is filled with 250 ml of water;
- 2 glasses of sugar are dissolved in it;
- the resulting mass is boiled over low heat for about 30-40 minutes until an amber hue is obtained.
The readiness of the caramel is checked in this way. A small amount of the boiling mass is poured onto a plate. If the droplets freeze immediately, then the glaze can be removed from the stove.
The prepared fruits are dipped in hot syrup, scrolling the fruit on a stick several times to cover it with sweet molasses as evenly as possible. Then they are placed on parchment paper, which absorbs excess moisture.
Caramelized apples will be even tastier if sprinkled with dessert:
- chocolate chips;
- coconut flakes;
- crushed nuts.
These ingredients will prevent the viscous liquid from draining off the surface of the fruit. As a decoration, European chefs also use melted black or white chocolate. They pour the resulting mass over caramelized apples, thereby creating an amazing contrast against the glossy background. In addition, the amazing taste of the dessert will conquer even the most demanding gourmets.
In the original, whole caramel apples are sprinkled with powdered sugar or cinnamon. The combination of these aromatic spices with fruit is considered the best.
Slices of apples in aromatic caramel
Washed and dried fruits are cut into pieces of the same size. To prepare the syrup, take a cast-iron pan with a thick bottom. Then you can achieve the effect of languishing in a large amount of caramel mass.
The recipe for caramelized apples at home consists of several stages:
- put 50 g of butter on the bottom of the dish;
- 2 tbsp is added to the melted liquid. l. Sahara;
- then apple slices (up to 500 g) are added to the syrup;
- sprinkle the ingredients with cinnamon, sesame seeds and grated nutmeg.
This mixture is gently stirred with a wooden spatula. When the caramel apples are soft and coppery (after 10-15 minutes), they are laid out on parchment paper. 125 ml of apple juice is added to the remaining mixture, continuing to cook the syrup over high heat. After 3 minutes of vigorous boiling and stirring, remove the aromatic sauce from the stove. The resulting caramel is used as an addition to the dessert.
European confectioners often replace apple juice with cognac. Alcohol gives the fruit a pungent flavor and aroma.
Baked apples in caramel
The recipe for this dessert includes milk and apple juice. Chopped or whole fruits are baked in their own juice, and poured with sweet caramel when serving.
Milk sugar syrup is prepared using the following technology:
- dissolve 250 g of sugar in 200 ml of water;
- the resulting mass is boiled over medium heat for 15 minutes;
- then add 50 g of butter and mix thoroughly until complete dissolution;
- pour in 125 ml of milk;
- the mixture is simmered over low heat until a thick consistency is obtained;
- add vanillin at the end.
Each apple is cut into wedges. On a baking sheet, spread the fruits assembled or whole. All fruits are watered abundantly apple juice (up to 200 ml) mixed with a small amount of butter and sent to the oven for 45 minutes. Roasting temperature 180˚С. The finished dessert is poured with sweet glaze and decorated with pastry powder.
Instead of fresh apples, some cooks use dried fruits... However, they are soaked in water for about 10 minutes before cooking.
Cooked apples in caramel are served on a flat plate of a uniform color. This is the only way to achieve the most contrasting color combination.