Monster Caramel Apples Food

MONSTER CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Wash and thoroughly dry apples; insert a wooden stick into each. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet; chill. Place cookie crumbs in a shallow dish; set aside. , In a heavy 3-qt. saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, milk and corn syrup; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until mixture reaches 248° (firm-ball stage) on a candy thermometer, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. , Dip each apple into hot caramel mixture to completely coat, then dip the bottom in cookie crumbs, pressing lightly to adhere. Return to baking sheet to cool. , In a microwave, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Transfer to a small plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Drizzle coating over apples. Decorate with sprinkles.

EASY CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and coat with cooking spray. In a medium saucepan, bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil over high. Reduce to medium-high and simmer, undisturbed, until caramel is golden brown, 8 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully stir in cream (mixture will sputter). Transfer to a small bowl and let cool 5 minutes.
• With a paring knife, make a small slit in top of each apple. Insert an ice-pop stick 1 inch deep into each slit. Dip apples into caramel, swirling to coat. Sprinkle with nuts (if using) and transfer to sheet.

HEALTHY MONSTER APPLES

Steps:

• Cut each apple in half and core the centers. Cut the top and bottom of each apple off at a slight inward angle so the apple halves stand upright. Cut away wedge-shaped slices from the centers using a paring knife to create a "mouth." Slice the wedges deep enough so a small hole is created in the center of each "V." Brush the exposed apple flesh with lemon juice to prevent browning.
• Stick the sunflower seeds into the apple's flesh to create "teeth."
• Insert a mango slice into the hole in the center of each apple to create a tongue. Add small dots of frosting to the backs of the candy eyeballs to secure them just above the mouth.

THE BEST CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Dip apples in boiling water for a few seconds, then dry with paper towels to remove any wax from the peels. Set apples aside; when completely cool, insert a wooden chopstick firmly into the bottom of each apple for a handle.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Stir butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk together in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and reduce heat to medium. Cook until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees F (120 degrees C), 25 to 30 minutes; stir constantly to prevent burning. A teaspoon of the syrup, dropped in a glass of cold water, should form a firm ball. Remove caramel from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
• Working quickly, dip each apple into the hot caramel to completely coat the apple and about 1/2 inch of the wooden handle. Sprinkle apples with any desired toppings while still hot. Let caramel apples cool on the parchment paper. Use caution, caramel is very hot.

CARAMEL APPLE MONSTER MUNCH

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium heat until very hot and shimmering. Add the popcorn and immediately cover with a lid. Shake the pot constantly, holding the lid on with a heatproof holder, until the popping starts, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to shake the pot until the popping slows to just a few per 5 seconds, 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let stand for another minute to allow any last kernels to pop.
• Spray a very large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Put the popcorn in the bowl and remove any unpopped kernels. Add the peanuts. Spray a rubber heatproof spatula with the cooking spray and place next to the bowl.
• Combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until melted and the edges of the mixture begin to bubble. Clip a candy thermometer to the pan so the bottom of the thermometer is resting in the sugar syrup but not touching the bottom of the pan. Boil, stirring, until the thermometer registers 300 degrees F (the hard-crack stage), about 8 minutes.
• Turn off the burner and add the vanilla. Stir briefly--about 5 seconds--being careful not to burn yourself as the mixture bubbles up.
• Immediately pour the caramel evenly over the popcorn and quickly stir with the prepared rubber spatula until the pieces are mostly separated, about 3 minutes. Pull apart any larger clumps, being careful because the caramel will still be hot in spots. Stir in the apple chips.

GOURMET CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a slotted spoon dip apples into boiling water briefly (about 3-5 seconds; no longer) to remove any wax that may be present. Wipe dry, and set aside to cool. Insert sticks into the apples through the cores. It's imperative the apples are dry.
• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and coat with cooking spray. Silpat mats work great and need no prep. Place the unwrapped caramels into a microwave-safe medium bowl along with 2 tablespoons of water. Cook on high for 2 minutes, then stir and continue cooking and stirring at 1 minute intervals until caramel is melted and smooth.
• Hold apples by the stick and dip into the caramel to coat. Wipe excess from bottom to prevent puddling. Set on waxed paper; refrigerate for about 15 minutes to set.
• Heat the chocolate with 1 tablespoon of shortening in a microwave-safe bowl until melted and smooth. Dip apples into the chocolate to cover the layer of caramel. Return to the waxed paper to set.
• Melt the candy melts in the microwave with the remaining 1 tablespoon shortening, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Using a fork or wooden stick, drizzle designs onto your apples for a finishing touch. Sprinkle with optional ingredients, if desired. Refrigerate until set or overnight.

ULTIMATE CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; grease the paper. Wash and thoroughly dry apples. Insert a wooden pop stick into each; place on prepared pan. Refrigerate 15 minutes., In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water; bring to a boil over medium heat, without stirring, until mixture turns amber. Remove from heat; stir in butter until melted. Gradually add cream, stirring constantly. Return to heat; cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 245°-250° (firm-ball stage). Remove from heat., Place 1/4 cup pistachios in a shallow dish. Dip apples into caramel mixture until completely coated; allow excess to drip off. Then dip the bottom of each apple in pistachios. Return to baking sheet; refrigerate 10-15 minutes., In a microwave, melt white chocolate; stir until smooth. Transfer to a small heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Drizzle over apples. Repeat with semisweet chocolate. If desired, sprinkle tops with remaining pistachios. Refrigerate until set.

CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Combine first 8 ingredients in heavy 2 1/2-quart saucepan (about 3 inches deep). Stir with wooden spatula or spoon over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves (no crystals are felt when caramel is rubbed between fingers), occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 15 minutes.
• Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook caramel at rolling boil until thermometer registers 236°F, stirring constantly but slowly with clean wooden spatula and occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 12 minutes. Pour caramel into metal bowl (do not scrape pan). Submerge thermometer bulb in caramel; cool, without stirring, to 200°F, about 20 minutes.
• While caramel cools, line 2 baking sheets with foil; butter foil. Push 1 chopstick into stem end of each apple. Set up decorations and melted chocolates.
• Holding chopstick, dip 1 apple into 200°F caramel, submerging all but very top of apple. Lift apple out, allowing excess caramel to drip back into bowl. Turn apple caramel side up and hold for several seconds to help set caramel around apple. Place coated apple on prepared foil. Repeat with remaining apples and caramel, spacing apples apart (caramel will pool on foil). If caramel becomes too thick to dip into, add 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream and briefly whisk caramel in bowl over low heat to thin.
• Chill apples on sheets until caramel is partially set, about 15 minutes. Lift 1 apple from foil. Using hand, press pooled caramel around apple; return to foil. Repeat with remaining apples.
• Firmly press decorations into caramel; return each apple to foil. Or dip caramel-coated apples into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off, then roll in nuts or candy. Or drizzle melted chocolate over caramel-coated apples and sprinkle with decorations.
• Chill until decorations are set, about 1 hour. Cover; chill up to 1 week.

CLASSIC CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Insert sticks into tops of apples. Prepare an ice-water bath.
• Bring cream, sugar, corn syrup, and butter to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Clip a candy thermometer to pan, and continue to cook until mixture reaches 245 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Place pan in ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Dip bottom of each apple in caramel. Using a spoon, coat apple halfway to three-quarters of the way up sides. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes (or overnight).