Fall is in the Air~How To Make Candy Apples


The Basic Recipe:


Use this recipe as a starter, then add the following toppings to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Ingredients:
6 medium-size Granny Smith apples (about 5 oz each)
6 6-inch wooden craft sticks or dowels
50 unwrapped Werther's Original chewy caramels or 1 (14-oz) bag unwrapped Kraft soft caramels
2 Tbsp water or heavy cream
Directions:
1. Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil. Wash and dry apples and remove stems. Insert a stick or dowel into the stem end of each apple.
2. Place caramels and water (or cream) in a 1-quart microwave-safe glass bowl or measure. Microwave on high 2½ to 3 minutes, stirring every minute, until caramels are completely melted and smooth.
3. Holding apples by the sticks, dip and swirl in caramel to coat, gently scraping the bottoms against the edge of the bowl to remove excess caramel. (If the dipping caramel firms up, microwave it in 30-second intervals to soften.)
4. Optional: Press or roll freshly coated apples into a topping. (You may need to press larger toppings into the caramel to adhere.) Stand apples on prepared baking sheet and chill 15 minutes to set caramel.

Variation:

Chocolate-caramel applesIn the Basic Recipe, substitute 50 unwrapped Riesen chewy chocolate-covered caramels for the plain caramels. Use heavy cream (not water) and increase the amount to 4 Tbsp.

Caramel apples with chocolate layered on top: Make Basic Recipe above. While apples chill, microwave semisweet or white chocolate in a bowl until melted, 30 seconds to 1 minute, then stir. Dip a caramel apple into melted chocolate, or drizzle chocolate over caramel, then roll in toppings. Refrigerate 15 more minutes.

Read more: www.redbookmag.com