Candy Apples

A Halloween/County Fair staple when I was a kid, I much prefer candy apples over caramel apples.  Something about the hard, sweet coating and the tart apple underneath.  These aren’t hard to make but you do need a candy thermometer.  I made 6 smallish apples with this recipe (I used McIntosh).

Candy Apples

6 smallish apples
6 skewers (I used cookie pop sticks by Wilton)

2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup (I used the less sugar kind)
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup cinnamon candies such as Red Hots

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using clean apples, stick the skewer in the stem end.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup and hot water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and then continue to cook until the thermometer reaches 250º. Add the cinnamon candies, stir briefly, and continue to cook until the thermometer reaches 280º.

Remove from the heat and stir so that the candy is smooth. Hold an apple by the skewere and dip in the candy and swirl to coat, tilting the pan as needed. Hold apple over pan so that excess candy can drip back in the pan. Repeat until all apples are covered.

Cool at room temperature. After about 24 hours they start to get a little wimpy so try to enjoy within 24 hours or store in the refrigerator for longer storage.

Makes 6 apples.

NOTE: The candy is HOT and will burn. This is really NOT A RECIPE FOR CHILDREN to help make.

To get the candy out of your pan, boil some water in the pan and then let it soak and the candy should melt and come right out.

Happy Halloween!