Apples! Nothing screams fall more than apples. I'm working with HoneyBear again to bring you a new dessert just in time for Halloween. Honeybear is a leading grower and developer of premium apple varieties. They are family owned and have been in operation for more than forty years! Honeybear offers a supply of premium apples and pears on a year-round basis. You can find more information about HoneyBear on their website!
Did you know that Honeycrisps are America's favorite apple? They are excellent for eating fresh, adding to salads, or baking. Or in this case, making the perfect caramel apple! And nothing says fall treats like a sticky caramel apple! But before we get to the recipe, I wanted to share a fun new detail that HoneyBear is bringing to snacking. Introducing the "All the Feels" emojis! The Honeycrisp apples (along with Gala's) will now don the All the Feels emoji stickers, in hopes that kids will reach for this healthy snack to see which feelings emoji they can relate to most! Introducing Satisfied, Happy, Hangry (aren't we all), and Tears of Joy! How super cute are these guys? You can find yours at your local Hy-Vee now!
And now for the moment we've all been waiting for.....it's time to talk about all things Caramel Apples! With Halloween being right around the corner, and with things looking very different this year regarding Trick or Treating, why not whip up this classic treat for the whole family! What's great about caramel apples, is that you can be a purest and leave them in their natural form, just caramel. Or you can go completely gourmet and add all the toppings you can imagine! I went for the both. Simple and with all the sprinkles. And even though the outside of the apple is covered with ooey goodness, you can feel good that inside is a healthier treat!
The first thing you need to do is prep your apples. Apples from the grocery store come with a wax coating. You need to remove that coating if you want any caramel to stick to the apple. First off, remove the stem, the emoji stickers (sorry guys), and wash them. Next, place them in a large bowl and cover them with hot to slightly boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Remove the apples and dry them off. Leave them at room temperature.
Next up, place your stick within the top of the apple. This can be tricky! The core is pretty tough, so I use a skinny screwdriver wrapped in a paper towel to prep the hole. I then press the stick into my "pre-drilled" hole.
Let's get started! Here is what you'll need for the caramel.
1 1/2 Cups of Brown Sugar
1 1/4 Cup of Light Corn Syrup
One 14 oz can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 1/2 Tablespoons of Vanilla
Add all of your ingredients to your pot, minus the vanilla, making sure your pot is large enough for all the contents to boil and for dipping your apple later on. Bring the beginnings of your caramel mixture to a boil and then add your candy thermometer. And I hate to say it, but you will need a candy thermometer for this. A regular cooking thermometer won't work. Place your thermometer along the side of the pot, making sure it doesn't touch the bottom. That will provide an inaccurate reading. Just make sure it's resting just slightly inside the caramel. Bring the thermometer to between 245 and 250 degrees. This can take up to 20 minutes are so, so be prepared for a bicep cramp!!
(Here's a little tip. Spray your measuring cup with cooking spray before adding your corn syrup. It will pour out of the cup with ease!)
After the caramel has come to a hard boil, and reached 250 degrees, it's time to remove it from the stove. Add your vanilla and stir to combine.
Now, it's showtime! You must act quickly. The caramel will only harden and set the longer it's off the heat. I make sure to have my prep station setup before hand. You won't regret it.
I place my pot of caramel on a trivet or hot pad, place all of my add-ons to the side of caramel for quick dipping, and a parchment lined tray to the side of that. Now it's time to dip! PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!! I have burned myself on the caramel before and had one of the worst burns I've ever! This stuff is hot!! I think this is definitely an adults only step. Okay, now that that's out of the way, let's dip!
Submerge your apple in the caramel and swirl until all sides, and as much of the top as you can get, are covered in caramel. Remove and allow the excess to run off. I continue to swirl the apple to coat the whole thing and to help the removal process move along quicker. Once you feel you have all the caramel off, place it on the parchment paper. Continue this process until all apples are coated in the caramel. If you are using sprinkles, or any other add-ons, dunk the apple into the add-on just after the caramel process. Again, act fast. The caramel hardens quickly and the sprinkles may not stick. I had this happen as well, but don't worry, I've got a few tricks to share on how to cover up any "mistakes".
Don't worry, we will fix that later....
Do the same thing for the plain caramel apples.
Place the apples in the fridge to set. I usually allow at least 30 minutes or more.
If you are happy with your apples, great! Leave them be! If you are like me, and not super pleased with the sprinkle placement, never fear! I used chocolate candy coating for this fix! Candy coating melts come in a wide array of colors and I just happened to have green and purple on hand. To use, melt them in the microwave at 30 second intervals until melted. You can add shortening or coconut oil to make it smooth and glossy. I've used booth. Once melted, and pourable, it's time to apply. I use a fork for this, but you can also use a toothpick. Just add the candy coating to your fork or toothpick and drizzle. Back and forth. In a zigzag pattern. Whatever works for you. And turn the apple while doing so. Once you have the amount of candy coating you want, add the sprinkles! And voila! You have the most darling caramel apple with sprinkles!
