BAKED APPLES WITH CAJETA

Steps:

• To prepare the cajeta, combine the milk (water if using evaporated milk), sugar and corn syrup in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, add the baking soda which should cause the brew to become quite bubbly. Lower the heat to acheive a steady but slow simmer.
• Cook for 60 minutes. Initially, you can stir occasionally, but as the syrup thickens and becomes caramel colored you will need to stir more often. When done, cajeta will have the of a very thick syrup like one you might use on top of ice cream. Indeed, it's great on ice cream so if you have leftovers --
• The cajeta can be made well in advance and can keep for a month or more if stored properly. Just cool and store in the fridge in a tightly covered container. Rewarm before serving, adding a bit of milk or water as needed to thin it.
• To prepare the baked apples, begin by placing the piloncillo in foil and bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes until they are soft enough to coarsely chop by hand or in a mini chopper.
• Combine the chopped pilocillo (or dark brown sugar) with the chopped pecans, butter and flour in a small bowl.
• Core each apple and slice in half, placing them cut side up into a baking dish. Pour the cider into the baking dish. Top apples with a mound of the sugar/nut mixture, placing most of it in the core hollow.
• Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until the apples are soft and the cider has reduced to a syrup.
• Serve two apple halves on each plate topped with the warmed cajeta.
• (Piloncillo is an unrefined brown sugar that has a bolder flavor than American brown sugar - image brown sugar with a touch of the bite of molasses. It is typically manufactured into hard nuggets or cones and sold in Mexican markets.).