Baked Apples with Caramel Sauce recipe for managing PCOS and pregnancy on Fertility Chef

Lunch: Baked Apples with Caramel Sauce

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Health and fertility benefits of Baked Apples with Caramel Sauce

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Apples will improve your body's sensitivity to insulin (Reference: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full)

Ingredients

6 medium baking apples, such as Boskop, Braeburn, Fuji, or Gala
4 to 6 dried figs
1/4 cup chopped almonds, toasted
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon heavy cream or creme fraiche
Juice of 1 lemon
Serving suggestion: cinnamon whipped cream or creme fraiche

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Core the apples. Using a paring knife, score a ring around the midriff of each apple, just cutting through the skin to prevent the apples from bursting during baking. Stuff the apples with the figs and almonds. Set on a baking sheet, and bake until puffed up and soft all the way through, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the sugar in a saucepan with a spoonful of water, and boil to a golden caramel, about 5 minutes, depending on how much water you've added. Do not stir the sugar with a spoon, gently swirl the saucepan over the heat until the desired color. You want a nice rich caramel color, but don't let it get too dark. Cook's Note: It can go from caramel to black in a flash so keep an eye on it. Turn off the heat, and stir in the butter to melt. Stir in the cream, and add lemon juice, to taste.
Serve the baked apples warm from the oven with the sauce poured over and with a generous slump of cinnamon whipped cream or creme fraiche on the side.