Halloween Candy Coated Apples Food

CANDY APPLES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; butter parchment, and set aside. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, 3/4 cup water, corn syrup, and food coloring, if using. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-high. Insert candy thermometer and continue to boil until temperature reaches between 300 degrees and 310 degrees (hard crack stage), about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, insert a wooden stick into the top of each apple, pushing about halfway through; set aside. When mixture reaches temperature, immediately remove from heat. Working quickly, dip apples in sugar mixture until completely coated. Transfer to prepared baking sheet; allow to cool.

HALLOWEEN CANDY FONDUE

Steps:

• Add the cream, chocolate candies, chocolate-caramel candies, peanut butter cups and 18 of the mini chocolate bars to a slow cooker. Turn it on high, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Whisk the mixture until smooth.
• If the fondue is too thin, add a few more chocolate bars; if it is too thick, pour in up to 1/4 cup more heavy cream. Cover and cook until completely melted and smooth, another 10 minutes. Lower the slow cooker to warm.
• Serve the fondue with skewered apples, bananas, pound cake and marshmallows for dipping.

BLACK CANDY APPLES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment, and lightly brush parchment with butter. Combine sugar, water, corn syrup, and food coloring in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high. Boil until syrup reaches 300 degrees to 310 degrees (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, insert a wooden dowel into the stem end of each apple, pushing halfway down. When syrup reaches desired temperature, immediately remove from heat. Working quickly, dip apples, 1 at a time, in caramel to coat. Transfer to baking sheet; let cool. Candy apples can be made up to 4 hours ahead; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

HALLOWEEN CANDY-COATED APPLES

Steps:

• Insert a lollipop stick or dowel into the top of 6 apples. Microwave 3 cups white candy melts in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted. Dip each apple into the white candy and let the excess drip off. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; let set before decorating unless otherwise directed.
• Mummy: Attach 2 candy eyeballs to a white candy-coated apple using more candy melts. Microwave 2 marshmallows until puffed, 10 to 15 seconds. Stir until smooth; let cool slightly. Using a spoon, scoop up the marshmallow (it will stretch into a thread) and wrap it around the apple.
• Spiderweb: Microwave black candy melts until melted; transfer to a small resealable plastic bag. Snip a corner. While a white candy-coated apple is still wet, pipe a spiral onto one side with the melted black candy. Use a skewer to gently drag lines out from the center to create a web pattern. Let set.
• Cat: Snip a marshmallow in half diagonally, then trim to make 2 triangles. Press the cut sides in black sanding sugar. Attach to a white candy-coated apple using more candy melts, then attach 2 green candies for eyes. Pipe lines with black icing.
• Skeleton: Roll mini marshmallows between your thumb and index finger to make them into a bone shape. Attach the marshmallows to a white candy-coated apple in a hand formation using more candy melts.
• Werewolf: Drag a skewer across a white candy-coated apple in 3 spots to look like scratches. Fill the scratches with red gel icing.
• Ghost: Make a puddle of melted white candy melts on parchment; set a white candy-coated apple on the puddle while still wet. Let set, then pipe eyes and a mouth with black gel icing.

CRUNCHY HALLOWEEN SNACK MIX

Steps:

• In two wide-mouth quart jars, layer all of the ingredients. Cover jars. Decorate with fabric and ribbon if desired. To serve, pour into a bowl and stir to combine.