Inside Out Caramel Apples in Puff Pastry

One of these is actually enough for two

We make as many desserts for two in this house as possible. If you’re cooking for more make sure to adjust as needed. Making caramel is in theory simple, but in practice sucks. At least the first time. Be patient. Don’t stir. Work quickly. Keep an eye on the stove. If you mess up, it’s just sugar. And maybe a pan or two. Not that we’re speaking from experience. If you want to use store-bought caramels (which we didn’t try but surely would work!:) or caramel sauce go for it.

Inside Out Caramel Apples

• 2 medium apples, we used gala
• 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup milk, warmed but not hot
• 1 tsp rum (optional)
• 2 tbsp cinnamon sugar
• egg yolk, beaten

Cut puff pastry in half. Peel and core each apple, reserving a bit of skin or a flat disk of apple to plug the holes on the bottom. Roll each in half the cinnamon sugar and set in the center of the puff pastry squares. Slide your apple plugs under the bottom of each apple so the sauce will stay in the holes. Spray a baking sheet or casserole dish large enough to hold the apples without touching. Now for the part that requires patience. Pour the sugar in a wide bottomed sauce pan. (We used a four-quart pan.) Have your whisk and a rubber spatula at the ready. Set the pan over medium heat and do not leave the kitchen. Do not stir the sugar. Once it starts to liquify (at least five to eight minutes) you can use the rubber spatula to gently toss any dry sugar into the wet sugar. Once it turns amber, and this will happen very quickly pull it off the heat and whisk in your milk and rum making sure to work quickly. Fill the cavities with half the sauce and reserve the rest for drizzling over the baked apples. Wrap the apples in the puff pastry making sure to seal them thoroughly. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg yolk over the puff pastry. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, until pastry is golden. Serve with caramel sauce and ice cream.