Maple Caramel For Apples Food

PERFECT CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Mix 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling the pan (do not stir), until the mixture is light amber and a candy thermometer registers 320 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; slowly whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream, then 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Return to low heat and whisk until smooth. Let cool until the caramel is thick enough to coat a spoon. Insert sticks into the stem ends of 6 apples and dip the apples into the caramel, letting the excess drip off. Roll in toppings if desired, then let cool on a parchment-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Remove the stems from the apples and scrub them under warm water and dry them. Insert a chopstick through the top of the apple all the way to the top and line a baking sheet with waxed paper, set aside.
• Put the sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup, and cream in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, swirling the pan but not stirring, until the mixture reaches 250 degrees F (firm ball stage) on a candy thermometer. Pull pan from the heat and stir in the butter. Tilt the saucepan and dip and spin each apple into the caramel, covering about 3/4 of the apple. Place on the prepared baking sheet until set.
• If using a topping spread the topping out on a sheet pan or wax paper and immediately roll the caramel coated apples in the topping. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet until set.
• Topping 1:
• 2 cups chocolate wafers, graham crackers, or vanilla wafers
• Put the wafers or cracker of choice in a plastic storage bag and smash until coarse.
• Topping 2:
• 2 cups walnuts or pecans, toasted
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant and brown, about 8 minutes. Pulse the nuts, cranberries, and ginger in a food processor until mixture resembles very coarse sand.

MAPLE CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Line a cooking sheet with parchment paper.
• Pour maple syrup into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, keeping a close watch.
• Let simmer until a drop of hot syrup turns to hard candy when dropped into a glass of very cold water.
• Meanwhile, insert a popsicle stick into the centre of each apple.
• Dip apples one by one into the hot caramel. Remove excess caramel with a spatula and place, head down, on the cooking sheet.
• Chill in refrigerator or keep at room temperature for 1 hour or so until caramel sets.