Candied Apple Bake

脆糖烤蘋果
Category: Dessert
Style: Western
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Makes 8 individual servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
6 cups water
1 lemon, sliced
6 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into medium chunks
2 cups apple sauce
cinnamon and sugar for dusting
melted butter for brushing
For sugar glass
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp butter

Procedures
Preheat oven to 350F
To make sugar glass: In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 cup sugar with 1 tbsp water. Cook until lightly caramel in colour. Add 2 tbsp butter. Lay one 8.5" x 11" sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet, and spread sugar very thinly with a spatula. Let harden and break into 8 pieces, each large enough to cover a 6 oz custard cup. The glass can be made ahead of time.
To make apple filling: In another saucepan over medium heat, lightly caramelize sugar in butter. Carefully add water. Add lemon and bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add apple chunks to syrup and poach until slightly tender. Remove and cool.
Divide apple sauce evenly into 8 6-oz custard cups. Cover with apple chunks, dust with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until apple is tender. Brush apples with melted butter 5 minutes before they are done.
Place a piece of sugar glass over top of apple bake. Return to oven for 3 minutes. The glass will wilt over apples, then harden again like candy and should crunch with a fork.
Serve hot.

Tips
When caramelizing sugar, be careful not to touch the sugar with your hand, because melted sugar is much hotter than boiling water and can seriously burn your skin. Be cautious also when adding cold water to hot caramel. It may splatter. Use an oven mitten to protect your hand and avoid burning.