• Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped walnuts and cook, stirring frequently, until the walnuts are very lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the panko crumbs, brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and cook, stirring continually, until the mixture is well combined and the crumbs are light golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
• In a small bowl, combine the applesauce and the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
• Place the whipping cream in a mixing bowl that’s been chilled for about 15 minutes in the freezer. Using an electric mixer with chilled beaters, start whipping the cream, gradually increasing the speed to high to avoid any splatters. Continue whipping until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners sugar and vanilla extract and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.

To assemble the parfaits:

• Get 6 martini glasses or other small dessert dishes that hold approximately 1/2 cup each. Place about 1-1/2 tablespoons of applesauce in the bottom of each. Top with about 2 teaspoons of crumbs, then 2 tablespoons of whipped cream. Add another 2 teaspoons crumbs, top with about 2-1/2 tablespoons of applesauce, a few more crumbs, then about 2 more tablespoons of whipped cream. If you plan to serve immediately, top each dish with the remaining crumbs. If not, omit the top layer of crumbs, wrap them separately and set aside at room temperature. Cover the individual parfaits with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Top them with the remaining crumbs just before serving.
• Makes 6 servings