Transforming Liquid Gold Remnants into a Delicious Caramel Delight: Step-by-Step Instructions

The persistent sticky remnant left behind in the classic syrup can can be put to excellent use. Rather, convert it into a rich toffee sauce wonderful with Bonfire Night, especially when poured over cinnamon baked apples with frozen custard.

Butterscotch Sauce and Roasted Apples

Apples undergo a magical transformation in the oven, turning this seasonal ingredient into an incredibly easy yet decadent final course. My preference is for smaller apple types (ie, something not too large), enabling you to serve individual apple servings.

Traditional techniques which produce consistent outcomes serve as inspiration for this modified version. For this purpose, I've adapted a standard dessert sauce to employ the stubborn residue from your nearly-empty can, lowered the proportion of granulated sugar, and included flaky salt and vanilla if desired to enhance the quintessential taste of traditional butterscotch. (The invert sugars in treacle alternative are the secret to creating an exceptionally smooth toffee sauce, because sugar alone can recrystallise, leaving it grainy.) If you don't have the specific sweetener, light syrup or bee honey are good substitutes.

This flexible preparation pairs beautifully with numerous sweet treats, from traditional banana desserts to warm fruit desserts accompanied by frozen treats. The heated preparation cascades wonderfully over the baked produce, producing an excellent combination of flavor profiles, mouthfeels and temperatures. Keep any excess sauce in a sealed container in refrigeration for approximately a fortnight, or for a few months in frozen storage.

Serves 6-8 people

For the Toffee Sauce

• 2-3 tbsp golden syrup (Utilize the dregs of your container), or corn syrup or honey
• 180g sugar (granulated or soft)
• ½ tsp sea salt (coarse salt)
• 150ml double cream (heavy cream)
• 50g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

To prepare the Apples

• 6 medium dessert apples (eating apples)
• 60g sultanas or raisins (dried fruit)
• 30g sugar
• 30g butter
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Cream or ice-cream, for serving

Preparation Steps

To get every last drop from a tin of golden syrup, introduce about hot water and, securing the can in protective material to prevent burns, move it circularly and clean the interior with a spoon until clean. Pour this sugary water into a big cooking vessel. (If you're not finishing off the can, accurately weigh multiple measures of the sweetener into your saucepan and include heated liquid instead.) Sprinkle in the granulated substance and salt, position the vessel on medium flame and gently move (instead of mixing) the vessel periodically, until the dry ingredients melt.

Leave the syrup to simmer quietly without interfering with it, then, when you notice the sugar at the base of the container start to colour, rotate once more so the preparation colors consistently. When it reaches amber color, take the pan off the heat and gradually add the heavy cream (foaming may occur, so maintain distance), then combine to achieve silky consistency. Incorporate the dairy fat and flavoring, if using, and stir again until glossy. Serve hot or place in serving vessel and set aside to cool.

Preheat your oven to moderate oven temperature, and remove apple centers from the apples. In a bowl, combine the dried fruit, sugar, spread and aromatic, then stuff this preparation into the cavity of every fruit. Place each fruit in individual muffin cups, to collect escaping liquids, then bake for 25–30 minutes, until tender when pierced with a testing tool. Offer freshly baked crowned with some toffee sauce and optionally some ice-cream.