Ultimate Caramel Apples Recipes

Steps:

• In a heavy 3-qt. saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and milk; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until mixture reaches 248° (firm-ball stage) on a candy thermometer, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Insert wooden sticks into apples. Dip each apple into hot caramel mixture; turn to coat. Set on waxed paper to cool. If desired, roll the bottom of the dipped apples into chopped peanuts.

Steps:

• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Dip apples in boiling water for a few seconds, then dry with paper towels to remove any wax from the peels. Set apples aside; when completely cool, insert a wooden chopstick firmly into the bottom of each apple for a handle.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Stir butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk together in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and reduce heat to medium. Cook until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees F (120 degrees C), 25 to 30 minutes; stir constantly to prevent burning. A teaspoon of the syrup, dropped in a glass of cold water, should form a firm ball. Remove caramel from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
• Working quickly, dip each apple into the hot caramel to completely coat the apple and about 1/2 inch of the wooden handle. Sprinkle apples with any desired toppings while still hot. Let caramel apples cool on the parchment paper. Use caution, caramel is very hot.

Steps:

• Remove the stem from each apple and press a craft stick into the top. Butter a baking sheet.
• Place caramels and milk in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave 2 minutes, stirring once. Allow to cool briefly.
• Roll each apple quickly in caramel sauce until well coated. Place on prepared sheet to set.

Steps:

• Add the sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir a few times before the sugar begins to boil to combine the ingredients. Attach a candy thermometer to the inside of the pan and bring the syrup to a boil. Cook until the syrup begins to turn an amber color, then swirl the syrup to even out the color. Continue to cook until the syrup is a deep amber and the thermometer reads between 375 and 380 degrees F, then remove from the heat. Carefully pour in the cream and gently whisk to combine. Stir in the butter, vanilla and a pinch of salt until smooth. Keep off the heat but keep the thermometer attached to the pan.
• Pierce the apples through the stem ends about halfway through with candy apple sticks. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• When the temperature of the caramel reads around 190 degrees F, dip an apple, using the stick as a handle and swirling to coat completely. Allow excess caramel to drip off the bottom and use a spatula to help remove any large amount of caramel, as it will pool around the apple when you set it down to cool on the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining apples, gently heating the caramel on the stovetop over low heat, stirring, if it gets too thick for dipping. Allow the caramel to set and cool completely before serving or wrapping apples, about 1 hour. (See Cook's Note.)

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; grease the paper. Wash and thoroughly dry apples. Insert a wooden pop stick into each; place on prepared pan. Refrigerate 15 minutes., In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water; bring to a boil over medium heat, without stirring, until mixture turns amber. Remove from heat; stir in butter until melted. Gradually add cream, stirring constantly. Return to heat; cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 245°-250° (firm-ball stage). Remove from heat., Place 1/4 cup pistachios in a shallow dish. Dip apples into caramel mixture until completely coated; allow excess to drip off. Then dip the bottom of each apple in pistachios. Return to baking sheet; refrigerate 10-15 minutes., In a microwave, melt white chocolate; stir until smooth. Transfer to a small heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Drizzle over apples. Repeat with semisweet chocolate. If desired, sprinkle tops with remaining pistachios. Refrigerate until set.

Steps:

• Insert 1 wooden stick into each apple.
• In a heavy saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and milk; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees (firm ball stage) about 30-40 minutes and for a softer caramel cook just to a few less degrees.
• Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
• Dip each apple into hot caramel mixture; turn to coat.
• Holding by the stick, sprinkle with nuts or whatever you desire while the caramel is still warm (work quickly the caramel sets up fast).
• Set on generously buttered wax paper to cool (make certain to generously butter the paper).
• Note: if making a double recipe make two recipes in two separate pots.

Steps:

• In heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine water and sugar. Over low heat, stir mixture gently until sugar is completely
• dissolved. Increase heat to medium low and cook, without stirring, until mixture is a dark amber color. Remove from
• heat and carefully stir in heavy cream (mixture will bubble up and spatter a bit, then subside.) Set aside to cool and
• thicken.
• Using a 10-inch square piece of styrofoam, cover styrofoam with waxed paper to catch caramel drippings (this will be a stand for caramel apples).
• Insert popsicle sticks into bottom center of apples. Dip top half of each apple into thickened caramel. Insert bottom of
• popsicle sticks into styrofoam, allowing apples to stand upright so caramel runs down sides of each apple. Refrigerate to harden.
• Meanwhile, melt white chocolate in top of double boiler above gently simmering water; stir until smooth. Transfer melted chocolate to pastry bag fitted with small writing tip. Drizzle thin, random strips of white chocolate over each caramel apple. Repeat melting and drizzling with semi-sweet chocolate. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.