What could welcome the fall season more than a juicy, tasty caramel apple?
Adding white and dark chocolate, candy crunchies or nuts could easily make this autumn favorite into a decadent gourmet treat.
"It’s great and it’s really fun and creative," said Cheri Sicard, editor and co-founder of www.fabulousfoods.com. "You can definitely personalize it to the person’s individual tastes and they make great gifts that way. You can customize them; if you know someone that likes almonds, you can use almonds. If you know someone that doesn’t like coconut you leave that part out."
The idea for Sicard’s ultimate chocolate-covered caramel apples came by way of a gift sent by a friend.
"How I came up with that recipe is that somebody sent me one (a gourmet caramel apple) as a gift," she said. "They were gourmet and they were about $25 a piece, really expensive. As a gift I thought this was awesome, but I wouldn’t pay $25 for it. I wanted to try and make it, so I tried to make them and we made them for everyone for Christmas and they’ve been asking for them ever since."
Sicard recommends starting with six to eight granny smith apples. Their tartness, she said, helps balance the overall flavor of the treat.
"I like (granny smith apples) because they are really tart and they have really good flavor," Sicard said. "When you are putting so much sweet stuff on there, with the caramel and the chocolate and all of that, it is a really good contrast, and they also stay really crisp."
But the tart flavor isn’t for everyone. Horace Yearwood, owner of Hazel Creek Orchards in Mount Airy, said he prefers a sweet apple.
"Golden delicious or just a red delicious would be best," he said.
No matter the apple you prefer, begin creating the Ultimate Chocolate-covered Caramel Apples by washing and completely drying the apples and inserting a heavy wooden craft stick through the stem of the apple.
"Sometimes you may have to start it with a knife to get it (the wooden stick) in there but usually it should sink right into the apple if you just give it a little cut," Sicard said.
In some cases it may be helpful to use two sticks or even a fork to secure the apple as they are heavy after the dipping process, according to Sicard’s Web site, www.fabulousfoods.com.
Set aside a large cookie sheet with buttered waxed paper and prepare small bowls of optional ingredients such as chopped nuts, toasted coconut, candy sprinkles, cookie crumbs or chopped candy bars.
"I love toffee chips," Sicard said. "Like those Heath bar chips with some nuts, that is one of my favorites. The cookie crumbs are great and if you have leftover chocolate, dip the Oreos in the leftover chocolate ... Put them on the wax paper and let them sit."
Next, the apples are ready for a dose of caramel to start the super sweet fun. Sicard said the type of caramel candy you melt to create the caramel is not really important.
Combine the caramels and water in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the candies melt and cool slightly.
"If you are going to make a lot, like we did in the recipe, we used the crock pot to melt the caramel," Sicard said. "That just makes it easy. It takes a while for it to melt but then it stays at the right temperature and that’s really good for dipping a lot of apples, we did that with the chocolate, too."
Dip each apple in the caramel mixture and allow caramel to set and dip again. After the second caramel dip, roll the apple in the nuts or coconut or other coating ingredients. Coating the apple with one of these ingredients helps to keep the apple from sticking to the waxed paper, as well as give texture and flavor, according to the Web site.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave for dipping. Sink the bottom of the caramel apple in chocolate. Use a spoon to drizzle melted chocolate over the top and allow chocolate to set before wrapping.
"I usually use good chocolate but that is up to the individual on what they think good chocolate is," Sicard said.
The apples will keep for a couple days and Sicard recommended keeping the treats in the fridge until the gifts are handed out.
There are an array of ways to present the Ultimate Chocolate-Covered Caramel Apples, from wrapping with cellophane or waxed paper to using wax or parchment paper.
"If you wanted a plain white look it would be very elegant with plain white parchment paper and ribbon," Sicard said. "We tied them up with ribbon and gift tags; you could also do the plastic and then go over that with wrapping paper to look more festive that way."