Warm Apple Pudding with Hot Caramel Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...In the midst of the plenty that bombards us at this time of year, there are days that I want to step back and enjoy far simpler fare. Don't get me wrong. I love the treats and empty calories associated with the holidays, but on those nights when there are just two of us at the table or in front of the fire, my tastes run to more basic food. I've shared my love of all things lemon with you. Lemon's only real contender are desserts made with apples. I have two apple puddings that I make over and over again. One comes from a Mennonite community and the other, tonight's offering, comes from an issue of The New York Time Magazine section published more years ago than I care to admit. My vanity aside, credit must be given where it is due. So, I really have to thank Marcia Adams for this lovely recipe. I hope you are still with us, Marcia! It's a great recipe. You have everything you need to pull this off in your pantry and the hot caramel sauce that's served with the pudding will make you socks go up and down. If you hate apples, file the recipe for caramel sauce. I guarantee you won't be sorry. Here are the recipes for the pudding and its wonderful sauce.

Warm Apple Cake with Hot Caramel Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pecans
5 medium apples to yield 2 1/2 cups chopped (I use Golden Delicious)
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 scant teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup all-purpose flour
Caramel Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Directions:
1) To make cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pecans in bowl of a food processor and process until fine. Set aside. Peel, core and quarter apples and place them in bowl of food processor and pulse until they are in medium-coarse shards, or about size of almonds. Set aside.
2) Place butter in a large mixer bowl, add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and beat until blended. Add soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and mix quickly. Add flour and beat until just blend. Stir in apples and nuts.
3) Pour mixture into a greased 9-inch-round cake pan and bake for 30 minutes or until top springs back when touched with a finger. Cool slightly. Center may sink somewhat.
4) For caramel sauce, melt butter, brown sugar and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring with a whisk. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and milk.
5) Cut cake into eight wedges. Ladle a large spoonful of sauce on the bottom of eight dessert plates. Place a wedge of cake on top of sauce. Yield: 8 servings.

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