Caramel Apple Jalousie Food

APPLE JALOUSIE TART

Steps:

• Filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together apples, sugar, vanilla seeds, cognac, lemon zest and juice, salt, and flour. Transfer to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and dot with butter. Bake until apples are tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Pastry: Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Roll out pastry to a 16 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch rectangle on a piece of parchment. Using the tip of a paring knife, lightly score pastry into thirds, being careful not to cut all the way through. Cut 3/4-inch-wide strips along the two outer thirds, reserving center third for the filling. Be careful not to cut into the scored lines. Transfer to a baking sheet (if pastry becomes too soft, freeze until firm).
• Arrange filling evenly in center third of pastry. Freeze 20 minutes. Combine egg with 1 teaspoon water; lightly brush strips with egg wash. Alternating from one side to the other, fold strips evenly over filling in an overlapping pattern.
• Transfer to a parchment-lined room-temperature baking sheet. Lightly brush top with egg wash and generously sprinkle with sugar. Bake 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes more. Switch oven to broiler setting; broil until sugar is caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes (watch carefully to prevent burning). Let cool to room temperature. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

PERFECT CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Mix 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling the pan (do not stir), until the mixture is light amber and a candy thermometer registers 320 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; slowly whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream, then 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Return to low heat and whisk until smooth. Let cool until the caramel is thick enough to coat a spoon. Insert sticks into the stem ends of 6 apples and dip the apples into the caramel, letting the excess drip off. Roll in toppings if desired, then let cool on a parchment-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

CONTEST-WINNING CARAMEL APPLE CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Press half the mixture into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer half of each of the following: apples, caramels and remaining oat mixture. Repeat layers. Drizzle 1/2 cup cider over top., Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. Drizzle with remaining cider; bake until apples are tender, 15-20 minutes longer.