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1
Melt butter in 6-quart saucepan over medium-low heat.
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2
Add apples and caramelize, add water, cook, stirring occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are completely soft.
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3
Remove cover and add sugar, nutmeg and salt.
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4
Increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook, stirring apples frequently, until liquid has completely evaporated, about 10 minutes.
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5
Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, apple sauce and vanilla.
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6
Set aside to cool while making crust.
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7
The filling can be made one day ahead.
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8
Position oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Grease 8 ceramic dishes with 1 tablespoon butter.
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9
Sprinkle sugar in dish and tilt to coat bottom and sides.
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10
Tap out excess sugar and set aside.
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11
Using a bread knife, remove crusts from bread.
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12
Center the bottom of mold over one of the bread squares.
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13
Cut around mold to form circle to use as the top.
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14
Make a total of 20 of these round pieces.
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15
Ten will be for the bottom and 10 will be used for the top.
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16
Dip each one in melted butter and place at the bottom of mold.
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17
Cut each of the 15 remaining slices of bread into four rectangular pieces.
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18
Dip one side of each strip in the melted butter and arrange strips, upright, around the inside of molds, buttered-sides against mold and overlapping by about 1/2-inch to completely line mold.
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19
Use 6 rectangles to line the mold.
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20
Spoon the apple filling into bread-lined molds, mounding it slightly in center.
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21
Take the remaining ten rounds of bread and dip pieces of bread into the melted butter and place on top of filling, buttered-sides up.
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22
Press down lightly.
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23
Bake for 30 minutes, then cover top loosely with aluminum foil.
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24
Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, until top is deep golden brown and side slices are golden brown (slide a thin-bladed knife between bread and pan to check).
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25
Remove from oven, uncover, and let rest for 15 minutes on wire rack.
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26
Run thin-bladed knife around edges of molds to be able to flip the mold out onto serving plates.
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27
Saute 1 cup of peeled and diced Granny Smith apples in butter, add a pinch of sugar and cinnamon.
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28
Allow to cook until apples are lightly browned and all sugars have dissolved.
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29
Remove from heat and add 2 cups caramel sauce to the apples and stir to coat apples.
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30
Pour caramel apple sauce over warmed apple cakes and serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream.
