Description
A convenient and delicious meal prep dessert featuring tart Granny Smith apples drizzled with homemade salted caramel and chocolate, topped with toasted peanuts. Designed to last up to four days in the fridge or two weeks in the freezer.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large Granny Smith apples (about 600g)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup roasted peanuts
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt (optional, for finishing)
Instructions
- Wash, core, and chop apples into 1-inch chunks. Place in a bowl with water and lemon juice; soak for 5 minutes to prevent browning. Drain and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and brown sugar. Stir constantly until butter melts and sugar dissolves (3-4 minutes).
- Remove from heat and carefully stir in heavy cream (mixture will bubble). Add salt. Return to low heat and stir for 1 minute until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Toast peanuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and golden. Let cool and roughly chop.
- Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- Arrange dried apple pieces in a single layer on a plate or in storage containers. Drizzle generously with caramel sauce, then drizzle with chocolate. Sprinkle with toasted peanuts and flaky sea salt.
- Portion into individual containers. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Keep apples cold until serving to maintain texture. Ensure apples are completely dry before adding caramel to prevent sliding. For freezing, add fresh peanuts after thawing to maintain crunch. Can be made dairy-free using coconut cream and dairy-free chocolate, or vegan using vegan butter and chocolate chips.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (approx. 1
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 35
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 4
Keywords: meal prep dessert, caramel apple nachos, healthy dessert, apple recipe, chocolate caramel, peanut dessert, make ahead dessert, gluten-free dessert