Baked apples with caramel sauce

Method

1. To make the ice cream, split the vanilla pods and scrape the seeds into a pan with the milk. Add the pods and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
2. Whisk the yolks and sugar in a bowl to a pale cream. Pour on the milk and mix. Return to the pan and heat gently, stirring, until slightly thickened; about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the cold cream and pass through a fine sieve. Cool, then churn in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions (or see tip).
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. To make the filling, mix all the ingredients in a bowl with your hands to a semi-cohesive mass. 4. Core the apples. With a small knife, score around the equator of each apple and stand in a buttered ovenproof dish. Stuff with the filling, then stick a walnut-size ball of the filling on the top. Bake for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the caramel. Put the sugar in a heavy-based pan over a high heat and allow it to turn to a mahogany-coloured caramel. Stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve any lumps. Remove from the heat and carefully add the cream. Return the pan to a medium heat and stir to dissolve any lumps of caramel. Pass through a fine sieve and keep warm.
5. Serve 1 apple per person with a generous scoop of ice cream and lots of caramel sauce.