Caramel Apples

My husband LOVES caramel apples.  He settles for the packaged ones sold in the grocery store, and eats about a 6-pack a week.  I figured that homemade ones would be pretty simple and taste way better.  You can easily buy the packaged square candy caramels and melt them with a little cream.  However, I opted to make some from scratch, and I’m glad I did.  They turned out perfect!  The caramel was not too soft or hard.  It was just the right texture.  Not to sound too much like Goldie Locks, but it’s true.  You don’t want to bite into something that’s too sticky or, on the other hand, something that almost breaks your teeth.  In addition, the vanilla bean and pinch of fleur de sel give the caramel a nice flavor.

Choosing the right apple is important.  You want smaller apples so that they’re easier to bite into.  Plus, that means a higher ratio of caramel to apple… which is never a bad thing!  It’s important to pick an apple that is fresh, firm, and tart enough to balance the sweetness of the caramel.  Granny Smith is usually the chosen favorite, but I used Michigan apples {I believe they were Golden Delicious} because they were local and fresh.  I figured I couldn’t go wrong with that!

These are so easy to make.  It takes a little time, but it’s hands off time while you’re waiting for the caramel to reach the right temperature.  Other than that, it’s really a simple and quick process.

Vanilla Bean Caramel Apples {print recipe}
10 to 12 crisp small apples
2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel
2 cups peanuts, finely chopped {optional}

Wash and thoroughly dry the apples.  Remove the stems, then set them on parchment lined baking sheets a few inches apart.  Insert a small dowel, sharpened on one end, about three-quarters of the way through each apple. Finely chop hte peanuts {a food processor works well for this}.

Put the cream in a medium heavy pot {the caramel boils up significantly when cooking, so use a size larger than you think you may need}.  Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and, using the tip of the knife, scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the cream.  Add the vanilla bean to the cream.

Simmer the vanilla and cream over very low heat for 10 minutes.  Do not let the mixture boil.  Remove from heat and pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove the vanilla bean.

Return the vanilla cream to the pot, then add the sugar, corn syrup, and butter, making sure that the mixture doesn’t splash onto the sides of the pot.  Place the pot over very low heat and stir very gently until the sugar is dissolved, increase the heat to medium and clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pot.  Heat the caramel mixture, without stirring, to 245 degrees {this may take quite a while}.

Meanwhile, put a few handfuls of ice in a medium bowl that is large enough to accommodate the pot with the caramel mixture.

When the mixture reaches 245 degrees, and stays there for at least 1 minute, remove from the heat. Add the fleur de sel and whisk the mixture until smooth. Transfer the pot to the ice bowl for 30 seconds to slow the cooking.  Remove the pan from the ice.

Tilt the pot toward you to create a big pool of caramel and, working fast, immediately begin dipping the apples in it.  Dip each apple only once, and don’t worry about coating it evenly or completely.  Roll in chopped peanuts {optional}.  Return the caramel-dipped apples to the parchment lined baking sheet until set {refrigerate if needed, about 10 minutes}.

Recipe is slightly adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.