Seared Apples With Brandied Cider Syrup
from https://www.southernliving.com/

These boozy skillet apples are all you need for an effortless autumn dessert. Fried apples aren’t actually fried at all but seared in a pan with butter (or bacon or sausage drippings) until the pieces are browned and glossy on the edges and then cooked gently over lower heat until tender. I’ve upgraded that idea into an elegant dessert with a syrup laced with brandy and lemon—it also makes good use of the peels.

The trick to getting the texture right is to choose baking apples, which are varieties that hold their shape when cooked (like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn).

6 small Honeycrisp apples, unpeeled
1 Tbsp. apple pie spice
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 cups apple cider
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. apple brandy (such as Calvados)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
Chopped toasted pecans
Vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Peel apples, and reserve peels. Cut apples in half lengthwise. Remove cores using a melon baller or round measuring spoon; reserve cores. Stir together apple pie spice, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl. Add halved apples, and toss to coat; set aside.

Bring apple cider and reserved apple peels and cores to a boil in a small saucepan over high. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half, about 45 minutes.

During final 20 minutes of simmering, heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Arrange sugar-coated apple halves, cut sides down, in skillet; discard excess sugar-spice mixture. Cook, undisturbed, until apples begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Transfer to oven, and bake until apples are tender when pierced with a wooden pick, about 25 minutes.

While apples are baking, drain cider mixture through a fine mesh strainer placed over a heatproof measuring cup with a spout, pressing firmly to extract as much juice as possible; discard solids. Return strained cider mixture to saucepan. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup sugar; bring to a boil over high, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring often, until mixture thickens, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in brandy, lemon juice, and vanilla paste. Turn apple halves cut sides up in skillet. Drizzle with syrup from saucepan.