BAKED CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Position the oven racks so that one rack is in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to convection bake at 375°F. Lightly butter a baking dish just large enough to hold the fruit.
• Peel the bottom half of each apple.
• Heat the sugar in a heavy skillet over high heat, stirring, until it begins to melt around the edges, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture turns a light caramel color.
• With a whisk, stir in the butter until the butter is melted into the sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sauce is smooth.
• Pour the sauce into the baking dish to cover the bottom. Put the apples in the baking dish with the peeled side down and pour the caramel into the hollowed-out centers. Cover the remainder of the apples with caramel sauce.
• Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Using a pair of tongs or two spoons, gently turn the apples over and continue baking, basting two or three times, until the apples are tender, about 15 more minutes.
• Cool and serve the apples with the sauce spooned over them.
• Baked Pears
• Wash firm Bosc pears; do not core them, but trim the bottoms of each so they will stand up in the baking dish. Continue with the recipe from step 3.