Caramel Apples

Photo Courtesy of 4LEA from Allrecipes


INGREDIENTS
About 12 Apples, depending on size
1 cup butter
1 16oz package brown sugar
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS

First, remove the wax off the apples so the caramel will stick. Some methods are to scrub them well with a scrub brush, wash them in hot water with baking soda, or to dip them quickly into boiling water. You just want to make sure that the waxy shine is gone.

Combine first 4 ingredients in heavy saucepan. Stir with wooden spatula or spoon over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook caramel at rolling boil until thermometer registers 248°F, stirring constantly but slowly with clean wooden spatula and occasionally brushing down sides of pan. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool, without stirring, to 200°F. (Optional: Transfer caramel from saucepan to metal bowl to make dipping easier.)

While caramel cools, line 2 baking sheets with buttered foil or wax paper. Push 1 stick into stem end of each apple. Set up decorations and melted chocolates (if desired).

Holding the stick, 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, whisk caramel 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.