Try this Caramel Apples recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 389.290670720803 g
- Cholesterol 321.516336537913 mg
- Fat 112.219225563915 g
- Fiber 1.38059996032715 g
- Protein 19.099141458741 g
- Saturated Fat 70.8227610902212 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (651g)
- Sodium 1038.00743330746 mg
- Sugar 387.910070760476 g
- Trans Fat 7.74251863496129 g
- Calories 2563 calories
Step-by-step
- In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then stir in the sugar, molasses, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk.
- While the mixture cooks, push wooden skewers into the apples.
- Boil a pot of water and plunge the apples in for 30 seconds, then remove and rub with a clean tea towel to remove wax on the skin.
- Prep a baking tray with baking paper and set near your workspace.
- Once combined, let slowly come to a boil until it reaches 120C on a candy thermometer.
- Quickly stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and black gel.
- Take an apple, and using the wooden handle to hold, twirl in the caramel mixture until covered. Quickly place on the baking paper lined tray and repeat with the rest of the apples.
- Set aside for an hour to cool and harden, then wrap individually and keep in the fridge.
A properly made caramel apple presents a high-gloss, opaque black coating that shatters cleanly against crisp tart fruit rather than sliding off in a sticky sheet. Achieving this texture requires rigorous temperature management and careful preparation of the fruit surface. When butter, dairy proteins, and sugars boil together, thermal reactions drive the Maillard process and caramelization simultaneously, building deep butterscotch notes that balance the sharpness of the apples. Using a heavy-bottomed saucepan prevents scorching while the mixture climbs toward the critical stage.
Managing the Dip
Commercial wax on apples acts as a moisture barrier that prevents hot sugar from adhering properly. Plunging the fruit into boiling water for exactly 30 seconds melts this paraffin layer completely, allowing a clean linen towel to buff the skin bare. Insert sturdy wooden skewers deeply into the stem end before starting the candy batch. Once the thermometer reads 120 degrees Celsius, remove the pan immediately from the heat source to prevent the sugar from burning into bitterness. Twirl each fruit efficiently to create an even layer without pooling at the base.
- If the caramel slides off the apple completely, the fruit wax was not fully removed during the hot water bath.
- Stir the vanilla and spices in rapidly at the very end to avoid degrading volatile aromatic compounds under prolonged heat.
- Allow the coated fruit to cure undisturbed on parchment paper for a full hour before wrapping.
