Candy Apples Recipes

EASY HOMEMADE CANDY APPLES

Steps:

• Wash and thoroughly dry the apples (See Kelly's Notes below). Insert the lollipop sticks or popsicle sticks so that they are firmly positioned in the apples. Set the apples aside on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper coated with cooking spray.
• Combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a boil and cook the mixture until a candy thermometer reaches 300ºF (the hard crack stage).
• Remove the candy mixture from the heat and carefully stir in the red food coloring. (It may splash, so stand back. And you may have to add more than the designated 1/2 teaspoon, depending on the quality and strength of your food coloring.)
• One by one, carefully dip the apples into the candy mixture, swirling to coat them thoroughly and allowing any excess to drip back into the pan. Transfer the coated apples to the prepared cookie sheet and allow them to cool until the candy has fully hardened.

CANDY APPLES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; butter parchment, and set aside. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, 3/4 cup water, corn syrup, and food coloring, if using. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-high. Insert candy thermometer and continue to boil until temperature reaches between 300 degrees and 310 degrees (hard crack stage), about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, insert a wooden stick into the top of each apple, pushing about halfway through; set aside. When mixture reaches temperature, immediately remove from heat. Working quickly, dip apples in sugar mixture until completely coated. Transfer to prepared baking sheet; allow to cool.

CANDIED APPLES II

Steps:

• Lightly grease cookie sheets. Insert craft sticks into whole, stemmed apples.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Heat to 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads. Remove from heat and stir in food coloring.
• Holding apple by its stick, dip in syrup and remove and turn to coat evenly. Place on prepared sheets to harden.

CARAMEL, CHOCOLATE AND CANDY APPLES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with vegetable oil cooking spray. Insert the craft sticks halfway into the stem-ends of the apples.
• In a medium, heavy saucepan, over low heat, combine the caramel candies and orange juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the candies have melted and the mixture is smooth, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool for 2 minutes. Dip the apples in the caramel until coated and put them on the parchment paper until firm, about 2 hours.
• Put the chocolate in a medium bowl and set it over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and melted. Using a fork, drizzle the melted chocolate over the caramel. Put the apples back on the parchment paper for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with small candies, chopped nuts or sprinkles and allow the chocolate to harden, at room temperature, for about 3 to 4 hours.

CANDY APPLES

Steps:

• Clean apples. Place a wooden stick in the center of the apple. Set aside. Place the candy corn and licorice in separate bowls.
• Place the water, sugar, and corn syrup in a clean 3-quart saucepot. Stir to form wet sand.
• Place on medium flame until the sugar boils; at that point increase the heat to high. Occasionally, wash sides of pot with cold water and a brush, if needed, to prevent crystallization. Cook on high heat to 283 degrees F. Add red food coloring and swirl around in the pot; do not stir. Continue to cook to 300 degrees F. Remove from the heat and let rest for 3 minutes.
• Dip the apple on an angle, rotating the apple clockwise, to coat the apple. Immediately roll the apple in candy corn or licorice. Set aside to cool.

OLD-FASHIONED RED CANDIED APPLES

Steps:

• Mix 1st 3 ingredients in saucepan.
• Put on high heat with candy thermometer positioned in center of fluid level.
• While it is boiling, thoroughly wash and dry your apples, and spear with the sticks.
• Boil mixture until reaches hard crack (300ºF), then immediately add red food coloring and stir.
• Quickly immediately dip the apples, twisting to cover, and set on a greased cookie sheet.

CANDY APPLES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or a piece of lightly greased parchment paper. Place the apples onto the prepared baking sheet, and press a treat stick firmly into the stem end, into the center of each apple.
• In a medium pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, 1/2 cup water, vanilla bean seeds (discard the pod) or extract, cinnamon and salt. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble at the edges, about 5 minutes - once it begins to bubble, stop stirring.
• Cook the mixture (without stirring) until it reads 300 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about another 10 to 15 minutes. Leave the syrup mixture in the pot, and cool to 275 degrees. (The mixture will cool quickly; if it cools too much, it can be reheated until fluid.)
• Working quickly, dip 3/4 of an apple into the sugar syrup, tilting the pot as needed to coat. Hold the apple over the sugar syrup, letting the excess drip off, then transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining apples, reheating the sugar syrup as necessary. Cool completely before serving.

COLORFUL CANDIED APPLES

Steps:

• Wash and thoroughly dry apples; remove stems. Insert pop sticks into apples. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet; set aside., In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Stir in food colorings. Bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 290° (soft-crack stage)., Remove from heat. Working quickly, dip apples into hot sugar mixture to completely coat. Place on prepared baking sheet; let stand until set.

CANDY APPLES

Steps:

• Remove the stalks from the apples, then put them in a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water from the kettle to cover them and leave for 3-4 mins. Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry. (This removes the protective wax from the skin and makes the toffee stick to the apples better.)
• Push the sharpest end of each stick into the stalk-end of each apple, making sure it's firmly wedged in. Put a large piece of baking parchment on a board.
• Tip the sugar into a large saucepan, add the lemon juice and 100ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Swirl the pan gently to move the sugar around, but don't stir. Add the golden syrup and simmer the mixture (be careful it doesn't boil over) until it reaches 'hard crack' stage or 150C on a sugar thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, test the toffee by dropping a small amount into cold water. It should harden instantly and, when removed, be brittle. If it's soft, continue to boil. When it's ready, drip in some food colouring, if you like, and swirl to combine. Turn off the heat.
• Working quickly, dip each apple into the toffee, tipping the pan to cover it fully. Lift out and allow any excess to drip off back into the pan before placing on the baking parchment. Repeat with the remaining apples. Gently heat the toffee again, if you need to. Leave to set. Best eaten on the same day.

THE BEST CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Dip apples in boiling water for a few seconds, then dry with paper towels to remove any wax from the peels. Set apples aside; when completely cool, insert a wooden chopstick firmly into the bottom of each apple for a handle.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Stir butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk together in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and reduce heat to medium. Cook until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees F (120 degrees C), 25 to 30 minutes; stir constantly to prevent burning. A teaspoon of the syrup, dropped in a glass of cold water, should form a firm ball. Remove caramel from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
• Working quickly, dip each apple into the hot caramel to completely coat the apple and about 1/2 inch of the wooden handle. Sprinkle apples with any desired toppings while still hot. Let caramel apples cool on the parchment paper. Use caution, caramel is very hot.