Baked Apple Creme Brulee with Lemon Caramel

Ingredients:

• 4 firm apples, such as Mutsu, Granny Smith, or Red Gala
• 1.5 cups sour cream
• 6 large egg yolks
• 6 tbsp. l. brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C.
2. Peel only the top half of each apple. Using a watermelon scoop, scoop out the cores (be careful not to cut all the way through) and some of the pulp to make room for the cream. The apple walls should be about 2 cm thick. Place the apples in a baking dish.
3. Whisk together the sour cream, egg yolks, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fill each apple with this mixture to the very top, being careful not to spill any filling (you may have some extra cream depending on the size of the apples). Pour boiling water around the apples to a depth of 1 cm, then loosely cover the pan with foil. If necessary, insert toothpicks into the apples to prevent the foil from touching the cream.
4. Bake the apples for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for about 10 more minutes, until the custard is set. Cool the apples in the pan, then transfer them to a plate and refrigerate until the custard is set, at least 3 hours. The apples may release some juice as they cool.
5. To finish the dessert, place the apples on a wire rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Combine the granulated sugar, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to cook the sugar, without stirring, occasionally brushing the sides of the pan with water until the caramel turns amber.
   
   Remove the pan from the stove and carefully pour the hot caramel over the apples, making sure they are evenly and completely coated in a thin layer. Let set for 10 minutes, then transfer the apples to a serving platter and serve.
6. Ideally, the apples should be served immediately after the caramel has set, but they can be prepared up to two hours earlier. The apples themselves, along with the filling, can be baked a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.