Cider-Baked Stuffed Apples with Sea Salt Caramel Sauce (Gluten-Free)

Celiac.com 10/14/2017 - Filled with nuts and cranberries, these easy to cook baked apples are slow-cooker magic. Top them with sea salt caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, and you’ve got the makings for a memorable treat.

Ingredients:

• 4 tart baking apples, such as Granny Smith, medium sized
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries, chopped
• ⅓ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 inches of stick cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter, cut into four pieces
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 tablespoon light-color corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
• Vanilla ice cream, as desired

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Directions:
Core apples, and peel the very top away from each apple. Arrange the apples, top side up, in a slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, combine cranberries, walnuts and brown sugar. Spoon mixture into centers of apples, patting in with a knife or narrow metal spatula.

Combine apple cider, lemon zest and lemon juice and pour around apples in cooker. Add stick cinnamon to liquid. Top each apple with a piece of butter.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 hours.

Sauce Directions:
In a heavy small saucepan, bring the ⅓ cup brown sugar, whipping cream, butter and corn syrup to a light boil over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally; reduce heat to medium.

Boil gently, uncovered, for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Stir in vanilla and sea salt. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Transfer warm apples to dessert dishes.

Top each apple with a bit of the cooking liquid.

Serve with sea salt-caramel sauce and ice cream, as desired.