Poison Apple Food

POISON APPLE PUNCH

Steps:

• Smash the ginger slices with the flat side of a chef's knife and transfer to a medium saucepan. Add the apple cider, orange zest, lemon zest, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer 10 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• Poke holes in the apple wedges with a chopstick or skewer and insert a gummy worm into each. Add the cranberry-apple juice and whiskey, if using, to the punch. Serve over ice. Garnish with the apples.

POISON APPLE MARTINI

Steps:

• Fill a cocktail shaker with crushed ice; add vodka, cranberry-apple juice, and pomegranate juice. Cover and shake until the outside of the shaker has frosted. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with apple slice and a small chip of dry ice for effect.

POISON APPLES

Steps:

• Poke a hole into stem end of each apple, and insert a clean 5-inch twig, small dowel, or skewer into each hole. Set pistachios on a plate. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Place sugar and corn syrup in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until mixture is dark gold, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and slowly drizzle in heavy cream, stirring vigorously. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Dip 1 apple into caramel to coat bottom third, and remove immediately, allowing excess to drip off bottom. Dip caramel-coated apple into pistachios, using your fingers to help nuts stick to caramel. Transfer coated apple to oiled baking sheet, nut side down. Repeat with remaining apples, caramel, and pistachios. Let apples stand until set, about 30 minutes.
• Place melted chocolate in a resealable plastic bag. Snip off the tip of one bottom corner to form a very small hole. Holding 1 apple by the twig, drizzle lines of chocolate onto apple, and let stand until chocolate is set, 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining apples and chocolate.

POISON APPLES

Steps:

• Remove any stems from the apples by twisting them off or snipping with kitchen shears. Place the apples on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Firmly press treat sticks into the center of the stem end of each apple.
• In a medium pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and food coloring. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring. Once it simmers, stir in the vanilla extract, stop stirring and attach a candy thermometer. Use a pastry brush dipped in cool water to brush around the sides of the pot so they are totally clean and free of any sugar granules.
• Continue to boil the sugar over medium heat until it reaches 300 degrees F, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes until it reaches 275 degrees F.
• Dip 1 apple into the hot sugar syrup, holding onto the treat stick, and dipping so that at least 3/4 of the apple is coated. Lift the apple out of the syrup, allowing the excess to drip back into the pot, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet stick-side up.
• Repeat with the remaining apples, tilting the apple and/or the pot, as needed, as you use up more of the syrup. If the syrup gets too thick, it can be gently reheated over medium-low heat. Don't stir, just gently swirl the pot over the heat until it becomes fluid again.
• Let the apples cool completely, about 3 hours, before serving. Slice each apple into 8 wedges to make them easier on the teeth!