You asked for it...you got it! Here's a little follow up to this post.
*Choose fresh firm and crisp apples. Some like to use really large apples. I don't mind the smaller apples. There's a greater caramel to apple ratio that way! I used some Jonathon apples from a local fruit stand that were marked down because of their smaller size. I also used some golden delicious apples that we had left-over from making cider.
*Wash and dry your apples. Remove the stems.
*I learned this little trick from somewhere...turn your apples upside down and insert your stick through the bottom. The bottom of the apple holds the stick more firmly. Weird, I know. But it works.
*I like to use homemade caramel. I could give you the recipe. But I would have to kill you. Sorry. Use your favorite recipe. It will turn out just fine. Or, melt down your favorite caramel. My recipe makes about two cups of melted caramel.
*Pour your melted caramel into bowl. It needs to be a bit wider and deeper than the size of your apple. I used a quart size glass bowl that worked pretty well. Remember that when you push the apple down into the caramel, the level of the caramel will rise, so plan accordingly.
*Submerse your apple on a stick into the delicious caramel. Let it drip for a minute or two to remove the excess. I used a knife to scrape the extra caramel off of the bottom (which in this case is actually the top?) of the apple. Place your caramel apple on a silpat or a greased cookie sheet. The caramel will still continue to puddle at the bottom. Delicious!
*Allow your caramel to cool and harden on the apple.
*Once your caramel has firmed up, you are ready to dip your apple into the chocolate. You have lots of options here. I melted some milk chocolate discs on 40% power for 40 seconds in microwave. Repeat until the chocolate is smooth and melted, stirring between each warming interval. Dip your caramel apple into the chocolate or drizzle it on with a spoon. Set your chocolate dipped apple onto a piece of parchment and allow the chocolate to harden. You may want to pop it into the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes.
*Embellish your delicious apples with white chocolate drizzle or nuts or candies. I melted some white chocolate discs in the microwave (same procedure as above) in a small sandwich bag. Once your chocolate is melted, snip the corner off of your bag and drizzle over the apples. Again, allow your chocolate to set.
*Package your apple pops all cute-like, or just sink your teeth right in!
I tried some today. I used a glass 2 cup measuring cup for melting my Kraft carmels in the microwave. Just make sure it doesn't boil over. I did 5 batches and I didn't watch close enough on probably 4 out of 5. :) The 2 cup glass was a great size to easily coat the apples. The caramel bag said it would make 5 apples. It was true to it's word. My apples stuck to the cupcake liner though. Ugh. I did use parchment paper for them to cool on in the fridge. The youth at church loved them. Thanks for inspiring me. Julie T
ReplyDeleteWay to go! You want to make sure that the bottom of your apples are covered in the chocolate or they will stick to the cupcake liners. I probably should have mentioned that. Glad they enjoyed them!
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