To make the caramel, place a small saucepan over medium heat and add 1 cup of sugar. Allow the sugar to fully melt, creating a golden caramel, scraping the sides down with a rubber spatula as the sugar crystals cling to the pan. 

Once the sugar is fully melted, add 6 TBSP of the butter. It will bubble rapidly. Stir. Add ½ cup of the half and half and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to bubble rapidly for one minute. After one minute, turn off the heat, add the vanilla bean paste and cayenne, and stir. The caramel will thicken quite a bit as it cools. 

Meanwhile, in a large lidded pan/skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 2 TBSP butter, the sliced apples, and the cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are nice and tender; about 10 minutes. 

While the apples are cooking, grab a medium bowl and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and the remaining 2 TBSP butter. Using your fingers, pinch and work the butter into the dry ingredients, until the mixture resembles course, shaggy sand. Add the remaining ¾ cup half and half and stir to combine into a well-blended batter. 

When the apples have cooked and tenderized, stir in about ½ cup to 2/3 cup of your vanilla-cayenne caramel and mix well to get all of the apples coated. If it seems a little dry to you, you can add 1/4 cup water and stir to loosen it all up. 

Drop the batter onto the surface of the caramel apples, haphazardly, until it’s all used up. Place the lid on the pan and cook until the biscuits are done and golden brown; about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.