Oct 28 2008
A Yummy Halloween Treat: Candy Apples!
Candy apples have been a traditional Halloween treat in my family for years and years. I loved them as a child, and I still love them. They are so addicting. Biting into these juicy apples and hearing the crackling of the outer candy skin—Mm! It’s a wonderful memory for me, and I hope this becomes a family memory for your children as well.
Obviously, this treat isn’t the healthiest thing, but hey! It’s Halloween. Indulge them once. Halloween only comes around once a year. Make sure your kids brush their teeth after they eat this sugar-laced treat. You don’t want them to have any cavities the next time they go to the dentist! I’m a stickler about brushing after you eat something sweet.
When choosing the apples, go to your local farmer’s market if possible. Try choosing a tarter apple (Granny Smith, Jonathan, Braeburn). The blend of sweet and sour is very yummy! Of course, pairing a really sweet apple (Golden Delicious, Fuji, Jonagold) with a sweet candy exterior is just as good. Remember to buy the smaller apples—they’ll be easier for your kids to eat in one sitting.
This recipe makes 7 servings (7 apples). If this is your first time making candy apples, you’ll most likely need to invest in a candy thermometer. It will let you know when the sugar is at the right temperature.
Old-Fashioned Candy Apples
Ingredients
7 small or medium apples, chilled in the refrigerator
7 popsicle sticks (or craft sticks)
¾ cup water
1 cup white sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
4 drops red food coloring
First, make sure that the apples are firm and without any bruises or blemishes. Remove the stems from the apples. Wash and dry them. Poke the popsicle/craft stick into the apples.
Take out a cookie sheet and lightly grease it. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, add the water, sugar, and corn syrup. Turn the heat to medium-high. Stir the mixture.
Heat until the temperature is between 300 to 310 degrees (use your candy thermometer to do this). If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test the readiness of the candy by taking a small drop of syrup and dropping it into cold water. If it turns hard and brittle, the syrup is ready to remove from heat.
Remove syrup from heat and stir in the drops of red food coloring. Begin the apple coating process quickly, so that the candy syrup doesn’t harden!
Hold the apples up by the popsicle sticks and dip it into the syrup. Coat the apples evenly and put on the prepared cookie sheet to harden.
When you’ve coated all the apples, place the cookie sheet into the refrigerator to cool. Be sure to eat within three days of making them!
Let your kids sink their teeth into these candy apples!
