Candy apples have been a popular treat with children for many years. They're commonly seen at fairs, and enjoyed during the fall season when apples are plentiful. If you've never tried making your own candy apple, now is the time to try!
Halloween is the perfect time of year to try making new sweet treats. Since this holiday is all about everything sugary, candy apples will fit in just fine. The use of a syrup on these apples negates some of this fruit's health benefits, but it is a good way to get your picky eaters to eat some fruit without complaining!
If you have the patience and time to make lots of these, you can hand them out on Halloween instead of candy. It's a good way to do something different, and it's something that every trick-or-treater will love. You may get some odd looks when they think they've been given an ordinary apple, but once they see it's a candy apple the opinion will change.
Candy apples are also a great treat before your own kids start their trick-or-treating. Give each kid one of these after dinner, and watch as they experience the joy of a candy apple for the first time! The next time you see them when you're out and about, be prepared for your little ones to ask for you to buy them one!
Candy Apple Recipe
Ingredients:
8 to 10 medium crisp red or green apples, such as Delicious, Winesap, Jonathon or McIntosh, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
¾ cup water
½ cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon red food coloring
Few drops of clove oil, if desired
Directions:
1. Butter cookie sheets generously.
2. Wash and dry waxed apples thoroughly.
3. Insert wooden skewer in stem end of each apple.
4. Mix sugar, corn syrup, water and food coloring in 2-quart heavy saucepan.
5. Heat to boiling over high heat; reduce heat.
6. Boil gently, without stirring, to 290 degrees on a candy thermometer, or until small amounts dropped into very cold water separates into threads that are hard but not brittle.
7. Stir in clove oil.
8. Dip apples quickly into syrup.
9. Stand on cookie sheet; cool.
Note: You can add an extra creepy touch by adding a candy worm to each apple.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Sam Aronov/Shutterstock.com