Apple and Eve’s Caramel Parfait

From the story: Connection.

The concept of Connection inspired me to create a truly original apple recipe.  It was a challenge–I’m not a fan of cooked apples and I wanted to offer something other than the traditional apple pie. My friend Robyn came up with this, and I really enjoyed it.  I tweaked the recipe to match my taste–and you can too.  If you like caramel apples, you will love this dessert.  A word of warning–it’s really sweet!

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Apple and Eve's Caramel Parfait

This recipe is easier than it appears. It took me only about 10 minutes to prepare the ingredients. If you like sweet things, this recipe needs no alteration. If you are like me and prefer things less sweet, reduce the amount of maple syrup in the shredded coconut crumble, and add less of the caramel sauce to the glass.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

Apple Filling

• 2 cups cooking apples, peeled and sliced
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Caramel

• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• ½ tablespoon coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

Shredded coconut crumble

• 1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon raw cacao nibs (optional) can adjust to taste
• ⅛ cup fresh blueberries, washed and set on paper towel to dry can adjust to taste

Coconut whipped cream

• ½ cup full-fat coconut cream (cold from refrigerator)
• 1 drop stevia
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Topping

• 1 sprinkle raw cacao nibs (optional)

Instructions

• Apple filling. Peel and slice apples. Put 1 tablespoon coconut oil into a pan and heat on medium. Add the apples. To this add 2 teaspoons cinnamon and let cook for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, stirring intermittently, until apples are soft. Set aside.
• Caramel. In a separate pan on medium heat add ¼ cup maple syrup and stir until it becomes bubbly (5 or 7 minutes). Stir continuously. Do not let it burn! When bubbly add ¼ cup coconut milk,½ tablespoon coconut oil, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt. Continuously stir for approximately 10 minutes. Watch the mixture thicken. Then remove from heat and let it cool.
• Coconut crumble. Put in a bowl 1 cup unsweetened coconut, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt. Stir well. Line a pan with parchment paper and pour the mixture into it. Bake at 350 °F. Keep an eye on it, so as not to let it burn. Watch as it turns semi-brown and remove from oven. This can take 5 to 10 minutes, depending upon the oven. The idea is to let it get to a point where it becomes crispy. Then mix in the raw cacao nibs and blueberries.
• Coconut whipped cream. Place ½ cup refrigerated full-fat coconut cream in a bowl. Use only the hardened coconut cream and discard the liquid. (By refrigerating it in advance, it creates this separation and makes the coconut cream thick and hardened enough to whip). Add one drop of your favorite stevia and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir. Pour into a mini dessert whip dispenser (my favorite is Isi brand) and turn on by following its instructions. Set aside. (If you don't have a whip dispenser, you can put the hardened coconut cream in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until it becomes creamy, fluffy, and soft peaks form.)
• Assembling the dessert. You can use parfait or tulip dessert glasses. First, in a tablespoon, add caramel sauce and let it drip around the inside walls of the glass. Then add 2 heaping tablespoons (or more) of the coconut crumble to the bottom of the glass. To this add 2 tablespoons of the cooked apple filling. Continue alternating the coconut crumble and apples until they reach 2 inches from the top of the glass. Top it with the coconut whipped cream. If you want to be really decadent, feel free to add some more (optional) raw cacao nibs on top of the whipped cream.

Notes

You can be as creative as you want with this recipe!  Adjust the sweetness to your liking.  Instead of blueberries you can substitute raspberries or raisins and/or any other small fruit. You can top off the whipped cream with powdered vanilla or even raw cacao powder or cacao nibs--or nothing!  You can add the coconut whipped cream in between each layer.  Or, if you prefer, you can add vanilla or plain goat or sheep yogurt to the mix between layers and on the top instead of the whipped cream.  Just have fun and enjoy!