Caramel Apple

Thanksgiving is all about being thankful and spending time with the family. So, make a personalized Caramel Apple for your family members to express your appreciation and love! Not to mention that this homemade recipe is a great way to turn baking into family time!! Here’s the recipe:

Prep Time 10mins                        Cook Time 3hrs                Makes 8-9 servings

Ingredients

● 8-9 cold apples

● 1¾ cups (420 ml) heavy cream

● 1 cup (240ml) maple syrup

● 2 cups (400g) packed light or dark brown sugar

● ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

● ½ teaspoon salt

● ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

● wooden candy apple sticks

Instructions

Prep Apples

1 Rinse the apples with water, then wipe completely dry. Removing the slippery waxy coating will help the caramel seal to the apple. Remove the apple stem and insert a caramel apple stick about ¾ down into the apple.

2 Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (preferred) or grease the pan with butter. Caramel usually sticks to parchment or wax paper.

Caramel

1 Combine the heavy cream, maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, and salt in a 3-quart heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat. Do not turn the temperature up or down-- keep at medium the entire time the caramel cooks. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the butter is melted. Once melted, brush down the sides of the pan with a water-moistened pastry brush and attach a candy thermometer to the pan, making sure the bulb is not touching the bottom of the pan.

2 Without stirring, let the mixture cook and bubble until it reaches 235-240°F; it should take about 15-20 minutes. Once it has reached the desired temperature, remove the caramel from heat and stir in vanilla; avoid over-stirring which can create air bubbles in the caramel. Allow caramel to cool for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened.

Dipping Time

1 Holding the caramel apple stick, dip the apple into the warm caramel, tilting the pot as needed to coat all sides of the apple. Lift the apple up and swirl it around or gently tap it against the side of the pot to let excess caramel drip off.

2 Place coated apple on the prepared pan and repeat the process with the rest of the apples. Enjoy immediately or allow the caramel to set for about 45-60 minutes.