I was so excited to be invited to Sheryl, of Lady Behind the Curtain, to participate in the Improv Cooking Challenge.
This is Challenge #1 and set up kind of like Iron Chef... but without the really bizarre ingredients;)
This month is Apples and Caramel.
I made Hot Caramel Apple Spiced Cider,
and Baked Apple Wontons
Hot Caramel Apple Spiced Cider
5 cups No Sugar Added Apple Juice
4 Cinnamon Sticks
1 Vanilla Bean
Pinch of Ground Cloves
Caramel Ice Cream Sauce
Large White Sanding Sugar
Place first 4 ingredients in a pot on medium low heat for one hour. The drink will boil down to be approx. 2 1/2 cups.
I used 1.4 ounce glasses and dipped the rims in caramel sauce, then sprinkled the sanding sugar so that it adhered to the rim.
Once the drink mixture has finished the hour cook time, remove from heat and strain the juice. Carefully pour into glasses.
This drink tastes and smells best when hot.
Drink carefully
Baked Apple Wontons
24 Wonton Wrappers
1 large Honeycrisp Apple
1 1/2 T Cinnamon Sugar Mix
Water
Cooking Spray
Cut and dice the apple and quickly sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture. Layout a monton wrapper and use your finger to brush water on the edges. Place a 1/2 teaspoon of diced apple in the center of the wrapper and fold in half to form a triangle. Brush water on each of the three points, then fold in toward the center. Place on an aluminum pan, seam side down.
Once all of the apple is gone, lightly spray the wontons with the cooking spray, then top with some of the sanding sugar.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
I dipped these in some of the Caramel Ice Cream Sauce that I added a pinch of Sea Salt to.
These Apple Wontons tasted like little caramel apple pies.
3 of the Apple Wontons and one little glass of Hot Apple Cider was the perfect treat to satisfy the sweet tooth. Even better was the fact that this dessert had almost no added sugar, and was baked instead of fried:)
