Apple Rum Ice Cream Topping

The temperatures here have been hovering in the high 70’s and low 80’s here in the Finger Lakes. It’s unseasonably warm, but you won’t hear any complaints from me.

As it happens, I found heavy cream on sale during these warm days. Warm days and heavy cream equals; homemade vanilla ice cream.

Once I bought the cream, I kept thinking apple pie would taste great with the vanilla ice cream I was about to make, but I just didn’t feel that ambitious. So instead, I came up with a less ambitious project that generated a delicious, and probably healthier alternative – Maple Apple Rum Topping.

Apple Rum Ice Cream Topping

6 small McIntosh apples, peeled, quartered, and sliced thin

4 tbsp. butter

4 tbsp. light brown sugar

2 tbsp. pure maple syrup

3 tsp. Bacardi Gold Rum (Or spiced rum if you prefer)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. corn starch

In a small bowl, add brown sugar and corn starch; mix thoroughly and set aside.

In a medium skillet, melt butter. Add apples, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and cook on low heat until soft and tender.

Once apples are tender, add maple syrup, remaining cinnamon, rum, and brown sugar mixture; stir until liquid thickens. It should appear slightly caramelized.

Remove from heat and serve warm, or refrigerate and warm in the microwave prior to using.

This topping is not overly boozy flavored. The rum does give it a unique flavor. You can add more rum if you’d like a little more zip, or you can make this without alcohol – just add a teaspoon of vanilla extract in place of the rum.