Grilled Apples in Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• For the sauce:
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• Coarse sea salt, optional
• 1/2 cup of whipped cream or creme fraiche
• Type of fire: direct
• Grill heat: medium

Directions

1. Cut 4 rounds from the pastry sheet with a 4-inch biscuit cutter. Poke each round about 12 times with a fork so the pastry does not puff too aggressively as it bakes. Bake the rounds on a baking sheet according to the package instructions, until they are golden, then move them to a wire rack to cool.
2. For the sauce, put the brown sugar, heavy cream and 1/4 cup of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring the whole time, until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted, 4 to 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and set it aside.
3. Add the apple slices to a large bowl, pour in the melted butter, and toss until they are nicely coated.
4. Light one chimney full of charcoal. Once the charcoal is fully lit and coated in gray ash, pour it out and distribute the coals in an even layer across the coal grate. Put the cooking grate on the grill, cover it, and let it heat for 5 minutes. Scrub the grilling grate clean and oil it. Set the apple slices on the grill and cook over medium heat, keeping the lid closed as much as you can, until the apples are tender and deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes, turning them once midway through. Move the apples to a bowl. If the sauce needs it, warm it again over low heat, then spoon some over the apples and toss gently to coat.
5. To serve, set a pastry round on each dessert plate. Pile the apple slices over the pastry rounds. Spoon the rest of the sauce over the apples, letting it spill onto the plates. Add a small sprinkle of coarse salt, if you like, and top with a dollop of whipped cream or creme fraiche.