Caramel Apples

Caramel apples are a very fun and popular treat especially in fall and around Halloween and other harvest holidays. They are extremely fun to have at carnivals and fairs as well as to keep on hand for movie nights and parties. Plus caramel apples can be done in a lot of different ways and they’re extremely easy to prepare so they make great treats and they can also be turned into gifts and party favors.

If you’re just staying in for the night and want a fun little treat to go with a movie or a homemade dinner then caramel apples are a great choice because of how simple and easy they are. Many stores carry little tubs of caramel that you can simply put in the microwave for thirty seconds and the you have your caramel already. That is a very fast way to go about it because you can also buy pre-sliced apples but you can go to a little more effort if you want and it won’t take you much longer but you’ll probably be pleased with the results.

I find that slicing your own apples is best simply because pre-sliced apples often dry out and get mushy which is not tasty and doesn’t work well with the caramel. For caramel apples in slices you need strong crisp apples which is why I always use green ones (I prefer the granny smith variety) to dip in caramel. It’s also nice to have that homemade caramel taste so if you want you can make it at home as well. All you have to do is buy a bag of caramel squares and then get some cream and melt them together in a saucepan. This can take a little bit of time because you have to melt the caramel slowly so that it doesn't burn but you also have to stir it pretty consistently to keep it even and, once again, from burning.

If you want to get really into it you can actually make your own caramel from scratch but it’s very complex (albeit very tasty) and beyond the scope of this article to explain. If you do decide to make your own caramel just keep it heated and keep stirring and you shouldn’t have any problems with it. Once it’s done you’ll want to transfer it to another bowl so that it doesn’t continue to cook in the pan and get burned. You’ll also want to have your apples sliced up and ready to be dipped and laid out on a platter so they are easy to get to because your caramel will cool and the colder it gets the harder it is to dip your apple slices in them so you may want to get out a fondue pot to keep it warm and smooth.

If you want to make more traditional caramel apples that consist of a whole apple that has been given a stick and then dunked entirely in caramel without being sliced there are simple ways to do that as well. The first thing you’ll want to do is get your selection of apples of whatever kind is your favorite and then remove any stems, bits of leaves, stickers or other things that might be on them. Once you’ve done that you’ll want to clean your apple up, wash it off, and make sure there isn’t any reside or anything left on it before you dip it. I find it’s helpful to sometimes wash your apples with some vinegar (you can use apple cider vinegar if you’re worried about the taste) because this helps remove any wax or pesticides that may be on the apple. Then you want to rinse and then dry the apple off completely as any remaining water will ruin your dipping process.
In the meantime you’ll also want to be sure that your caramel is all ready and that any other dippings you are going to use are ready too. There are dozens of varieties of caramel apples you can make and some people prefer to dip them in chocolate or cherry sauces and not even use caramel at all. Others will still dip them in caramel but maybe add a layer of chocolate or melted peanut butter to it. The most popular way to go about it though is to dip your apple in caramel and then roll it in other toppings too. This is especially fun, though it can get a bit messy. There are lots of toppings to choose from but some of the most popular are chocolate chips, sprinkles, crushed nuts, crushed cookies, certain candies, and plenty more. Some people will place unique toppings on their apples too like dried fruit, popcorn, and so on. You can dip your apple in whatever you like but if you’re making them for a party it’s best to just stick with some plain caramel apples and a couple of classic toppings like chocolate chips or ground up oreos.

So now that you have your apples washed and dried it’s time to get them ready to dip. For this part you’ll want to remove any stems or leaves that may still be attached to your apple so that those don’t end up getting dipped as well. Once this is done the next step is to get your lollipop sticks (which can be purchased at any grocery store, just be sure to get the ones that have a point end so that they can be inserted into your apples more easily) and push them through the core of your apple (pointy side down) until they’re three quarters of the way in. Be careful not to push them too far in or they’ll break through the other side and you wont be able to set your apple down plus you wont have much handle room. You also don’t want to leave them too far out because then your apple might fall off the stick which is no fun for anyone.

After all your apples have sticks in them set out some sheets of wax paper so that you have a place to set each apple down to dry after it’s been dipped. Once you’ve done that and your caramel is heated up and ready to go take each apple by the stick and dip it into the caramel, turning it slowly to cover the entire apple. Remove it from the caramel and turn it upside down so that any excess caramel can drip back into the bowl.   Now you can either set your apple on the wax sheet to dry or you can roll it in whatever toppings you might like on it. Make sure to do this while your caramel is still wet otherwise your toppings wont stick completely and you’ll have dry patches where there aren’t any toppings at all which doesn’t make for a great look for your caramel apple.

After you’re done dipping and rolling your apples in caramel and various toppings it’s a good idea to put them in the fridge for a few hours so they can chill and set up but make sure that you take them out long enough before you eat them for them to warm up a bit so they don’t hurt your teeth. You can also use chocolate and other sauces to create fun designs and patterns on top of your apples or you can use your topping to create designs or little faces on them as well.

Whatever you decide to do with your caramel apples just remember to have fun and enjoy the results. Happy dipping!