Baked Apples With Creamy Caramel Sauce

I got this from the Cooking Club recipe of the week. I have not made it, but plan to. I wanted to post it here so that I would not lose the recipe. The recipe calls for raisins and walnuts, but you could substitute other dried fruits like currants, cranberries or apricots and the nuts, you could use, pecans, hazelnuts or almonds. Endless possibilities...A friend of mine suggested adding Brandy or orange liqueur to the pan and as it is baking, basting the apples as they bake....YUMMY

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6 apples

Ingredients

• 6  medium baking apples, like gala
• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1⁄4 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 cup raisins
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped walnuts
•  caramel sauce, your favorite

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325°F Remove the core from apples with an apple corer or small knife, place apples in a 13 x 9 baking dish.
2. In a small bowl, combine butter, brown sugar maple syrup and cinnamon. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Spoon mixture into the center of the apples.
3. If using, pour brandy in pan. Cover pan with foil.
4. Bake 1 to 1 1/4 hour, basting apples occasionally, until apples are tender when pierced with knife.
5. Warm caramel sauce in a small sauce pan. Place one apple on plate and spoon warm caramel sauce over apple.
6. Can serve with some kind of whipped topping, if desired.