Bloomin' Baked Apples

By bobcat

Ingredients

• 2 Honeycrisp apples (or any other crisp apple)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 caramels
• Optional toppings: vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, cinnamon

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

To get the blooming apple look, you need to cut the apples. Slice off the top 1/4 to 1/3 of apples. Scoop out the core. Then use a thin knife to make two, deep circular cuts around the center of the apple. Next, turn the apple over and make narrow cuts all the way around the apple. Flip it back over and you can see all of the cuts.

Place the apples in an oven safe dish and put two caramels into the center of each apple.

Heat butter and brown sugar in microwave for 30 seconds, stir and continue heating for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from the microwave and stir in flour and cinnamon. Divide the mixture over the top of the two sliced apples.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check after 25 minutes and continue until they are tender. Some apples may require longer cooking times up to 45 min. to an hour to soften.

Remove from the oven and use a large spoon to move the apples into bowls. Serve with a scoop of ice cream, drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with cinnamon. The ice cream will cause the caramel center to harden, so eat quickly or put the ice cream on the side.