snack saturday

Apple Caramel Cakes
Yield: 5

These mini apple cakes ooze caramel! How cool is that! Use five 3-inch tart shells if you want to make individual size cakes or use one 9 x 3/4-inch flan ring if you want to make one larger size cake.



* 1/2 cup butter (125 ml)
* 1 tbsp butter (15 ml)
* 1 x Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
* 1 1/2 tbsp packed brown sugar (22 ml)
* 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (1 ml)
* 1/8 tsp ground cloves (.5 ml)
* 1/2 cup all purpose flour (125 ml)
* 1 3/4 cups icing sugar (425 ml)
* 5 x egg whites
* 5 x square candy caramels (soft chewy caramel)
* softened butter, for preparing the tart shells
* flour, for preparing tart shells


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat ½ cup butter in small saucepan over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for approximately 5 minutes, until the butter has foamed and the colour changes to a light brown colour. Be careful not to burn the butter. Remove from heat right away and strain into a clean, dry glass or metal container. Reserve.
3. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the apples and sauté for 1 minute. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and ground cloves. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes or until brown and just tender. Cool and reserve.
4. Butter and flour five 3-inch tart shells.
5. Sift the flour and icing sugar into a medium bowl. Whisk in the egg whites until the mixture comes together smoothly. Slowly whisk in the reserved brown butter until incorporated.
6. Divide the batter evenly into tart shells. Divide the apple mixture evenly into the tart shells, evenly spreading the apples. Place filled tart shells on small baking sheet and place in oven.
7. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven. Place 1 caramel candy into each tart shell. Poke down with a toothpick to make sure the batter covers the toffee. Place back in oven and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until a toothpick placed in centre comes out clean. Remove and cool. Yields: 5 individual cakes (5 servings).