| GOURMET CARAMEL APPLES |
| Enjoy time with your family and impress your friends and loved ones with gourmet caramel apples. These are easy to make and a treat to enjoy and share. |
| Needed: Apples-qty and taste preferred Caramels-soft caramels work better Confectionery Chocolate* Almond Bark* Candy Bars-any variety* Nuts* Cereal* Decorative sprinkles* Sticks(popsicle, craft, etc) Wax or parchment paper *optional |
| Wash apples thoroughly and pat dry(great job for kids!). Insert sticks in tops of apples near stems; stick should be firmly held in place. Follow directions for melting caramels either with double boiler or in microwave(NOT a job for kids). Once the caramel is liquid dip the apples one at a time. The best method is dipping and twirling the apples so coverage is complete. Let the excess caramel drip back into the bowl/pan, then set the apple onto your prepared paper. Continue until all apples are covered in caramel. When the caramel is set (no longer sticky or tacky to the touch) you can continue on and cover them in a layer of chocolate(or almond bark). Cut the chocolate into 2 inch pieces and melt in the microwave (or double boiler); microwave method is simply 30 seconds, stir, 30 seconds, stir, etc until it is liquid. It is important to note that these items maintain their shape even when melted so the stirring part is a vital step. Cover the apples in chocolate then let set. While the chocolate is setting, prepare candy bars and decorative sprinkles. Chop or crush candy bars, cereal, or nuts that will be used, then sprinkle them thickly on a cutting board. (My kids took turns with different flavored candy bars last time which made the apples a bit more of a challenge!) Roll the apple on the cutting board until it is coated in the candy or nuts or whatever mixture you are going for. Wait for the chocolate to set completely then you can finish it off by drizzling melted chocolate, caramel, and/or almond bark on the apple. Helpful hints: Minimize the number of options you give your kids when making the apples to reduce the number of different kinds of apples you'll have to make. Mini M&M's are excellent and very colorful on the apples. WAIT for the chocolate to become a little tacky before rolling it in the mixture otherwise the weight of the candy pulls the chocolate and the candy off the apple. <:-( Give them as gifts right away and eat them right away-they don't refrigerate well and they don't last long. Do not add liquid to caramel, chocolate, or almond bark while melting, or overheat in the microwave. |
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