Mini Toffee Apples with Maple Walnut Ice Cream

Prepare apples by washing and drying. Stick grapevine stem, chopstick or Popsicle stick into stem end of apple and place on a parchment-lined baking tray.

Bring sugar, corn syrup and water up to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepot. Cook sugar without stirring and brushing sides of the pot often with water, until sugar is a light caramel colour. Remove pot from heat and whisk in butter until blended. Stir in vanilla.

While toffee is warm, dip apples, swirling and swishing to coat. If you wish, you can dip the apple bottoms in goodies to add texture. Place apples back on parchment to cool. If toffee becomes firm, just melt over low heat, stirring gently.

Store apples in a cool dry place, but do not refrigerate.

Bring milk and maple syrup to just below a simmer in a saucepot. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add hot milk to egg mixture, whisking constantly until all milk has been added. Return milk to pot and stir with a wooden spoon over medium-low heat until custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Let cool to room temperature then stir in whipping cream. Chill custard completely.

Pour chilled custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instruction. In the last few minutes of churning, add walnuts and mix until blended. Scrape soft ice cream into a container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.