1. Making the Caramel Sauce

Note: You can substitute the homemade caramel with store-bought caramel sauce for convenience, but making your own is highly recommended for the richest flavor.

1. Combine the sugar and water: In a medium saucepan, cook 1 cup of granulated sugar and ½ cup of water over medium-low heat until the sugar fully dissolves. This should take about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add butter and boil: Stir in ¼ cup of unsalted butter, allowing it to melt completely. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
3. Watch for the golden copper color: Let the mixture cook without stirring until it turns a deep golden copper color, which can take anywhere from 10-15 minutes depending on your stove. Resist the urge to stir, as this helps prevent crystallization. You can, however, gently swirl the pan to ensure even cooking.
4. Add cream and vanilla: Once the caramel has reached the desired color, remove it from heat and carefully whisk in ½ cup of heavy whipping cream. The mixture will bubble vigorously, so proceed with caution. Add ½ tablespoon of vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of salt (depending on your taste preference).
5. Cool and store: Let the caramel cool to room temperature. It will thicken as it cools. If making in advance, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

2. Preparing the Cinnamon Apples

1. Dice and coat the apples: Peel and dice 3 Granny Smith apples into bite-sized pieces. Toss the apples with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons of cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg, and 4 tablespoons of brown sugar.
2. Cook until tender: Cook the apples over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The apples should soften but still retain a slight bite for texture contrast. Let them cool for about 10 minutes.

3. Making the Cinnamon Whipped Cream

1. Whip the cream: In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, ½ cup of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
2. Whip to stiff peaks: Using an electric mixer, whip the cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. This will take about 3-5 minutes, depending on your mixer. The whipped cream should hold its shape but still be light and fluffy.

4. Assembling the Trifles

Now for the fun part—layering the trifles!

1. Start with whipped cream: Spoon a layer of cinnamon whipped cream into the bottom of 4 serving glasses or jars.
2. Add granola: Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of cinnamon granola over the whipped cream layer for crunch.
3. Drizzle with caramel: Drizzle 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce over the granola layer for a sweet, buttery touch.
4. Layer with apples: Spoon 2 tablespoons of the cooked cinnamon apples over the caramel.
5. Repeat the layers: Repeat the process of layering whipped cream, granola, caramel, and apples until your glasses are full.
6. Finish with caramel: Top each trifle with a final drizzle of caramel for a beautiful finish.

5. Chill and Serve

While you can enjoy the trifles immediately, they taste best when chilled for 2-3 hours in the fridge. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully, creating a more cohesive dessert experience. The trifles will stay fresh for up to two days when stored in the refrigerator.