Caramel Apples
Fall is, hands down, my favorite time of year, and you haven't fully indulged in the nectars of the season until you've dropped some crisp, fall apples into a warm saucepan of buttery caramel.
Hand these Caramel Apples out to trick-or-treaters, wrap them in cellophane and give them to every teacher you can find (they deserve more than one), or show your neighbors how a caramel apple is supposed to look and taste.
Elements
8 Apples
4 C Organic Cane Sugar
1/4 C Light Corn Syrup
10 T Unsalted Butter, sliced
2 C Heavy Cream
Sea Salt or Shredded Coconut or Melted Chocolate
Popsicle Sticks or washed Twigs or Cinnamon Sticks
Directions
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine organic cane sugar and light corn syrup; stir well with a wooden spoon.
Bring mixture to a boil and allow sugar to dissolve but do not stir, only swirl using the handle of the saucepan; clumps will eventually melt.
Once sugar reaches a dark amber color and registers 245° on a candy thermometer, add butter and reduce to medium heat.
Add heavy cream and whisk until foam disappears; you'll have a smooth, creamy caramel.
Increase heat once more to medium-high heat and allow caramel to reach 250° Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer; remove from heat.
While caramel is cooling slightly, add Popsicle sticks or twigs or cinnamon sticks to washed, dried, and stemmed apples.
Insert one apple at a time, at an angle, into the hot caramel and rotate until the entire apple is coated. At this point, you may subsequently coat apple in a second coating of shredded coconut, sea salt or other topping of choice before the caramel sets.
Add dipped and coated apples to a parchment-lined or silpat-lined baking sheet to allow apples to cool and set.
Serve apples completely cooled.