Not a single Halloween can do without caramel apples, because with their help a traditional holiday game is organized, during which you have to eat this treat with your hands tied behind your back.
The Far East is the place where caramel apples appeared. The caramelization recipe was used there only to extend the preservation of the fruit, and later this dish became a favorite dish of Europeans. A noteworthy story is about how Louis XV, in response to the claims of the Minister of Finance that the French people lacked bread, said: “If they run out of bread, let them eat caramel apples!” Currently, apple dessert is beloved by most Americans and Europeans.
Caramel Apples: Recipe
This dish can be tasted not only in restaurants, but also at home. Caramel apples are not difficult to cook yourself. For this delicacy, the most neat, ripe, undamaged fruits are selected. Unsweetened apples with a slight sourness are best suited so that the dessert in combination with caramel does not turn out sugaryly sweet.
Fruits should be thoroughly washed under warm water, then cut the stems and stick in their base short (7-8 cm) twigs of wood or sticks for ice cream or sushi. Then the frozen apple can be eaten like a lollipop. After drying, the fruits are ready for caramelization.
Now let's talk about the batter that caramel apples require. Its recipe is as follows. For 6 apples, you need 150 g. sugar, 8 tbsp. l water, as well as about 1.5 tsp. vanillin. Sugar with water should be mixed in a saucepan and, stirring, bring to a boil over low heat. Caramel is considered cooked when the mixture has reached a golden brown color. At the end of the cooking process, add vanilla to the pan and mix. An alternative to batter is to melt toffee (about 300 gr.) In a water bath with the addition of 1.5 tbsp. l water.
Now we pass to caramelization. Each apple, holding it by a stick, must be dipped in caramel, then in ice water, and then again in batter. When using toffee for caramel preparation, immersion of fruits in water is not required. Now it remains only to let the batter dry, transferring the fruits to parchment paper. When it hardens, you can taste a treat. Caramel apples are ready!
Cooking Tips
There are many ways to diversify the taste that caramel apples are famous for. The recipe is easy to come up with yourself, tailoring it to your preferences. If you include the imagination, you can invent a completely new way of making caramel apples. So, you can add chopped nuts, popcorn, coconut, and confectionery powders to the dish. To do this, sprinkle the selected ingredients with the apples dipped in the batter before it hardens. You can use melted chocolate instead of caramel (or in addition to it). Another creative solution is color additives that need to be mixed in advance with caramel. Then the apples will delight the eye with their fun colors. Enjoy your meal!