Learn how to make delicious homemade caramel apples completely from scratch.
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 apples any kind that you want, I use Granny Smith
- 2 cups packed brown sugar either light or dark (400g)
- 1/4 cup butter unsalted or salted (56g)
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2g
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 360ml
- 1 cup of corn syrup 340g
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract 5ml
- Nuts optional
Instructions
- Soak the apples in really hot water, boiling if possible, for 20 to 30 seconds. Then dry them really well with a towel. This will remove the wax.
- Remove the stems and stick the apples with the stick about halfway down. Place on a sheet pan.
- In a deep heavy bottom 3 quart or larger pot, add the sugar, salt, butter, heavy whipping cream, and corn syrup.
- Set the pot on the burner and set the heat to medium, 350 F/176 C. Stir continuously with a wooden or a silicone spoon until the butter melts and it barely starts to bubble, this will take 10 minutes or so to get to this point, maybe a bit longer.
- Then brush down any sugar crystals that are clinging to the sides of the pot with a damp basting brush. If you leave them there, they may burn, and disrupt the caramel.
- You don't stir the caramel anymore. Just let it sit and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the temp reaches 235 to 245 F. (112-118C). This is the softball stage. I usually let it go closer to 245 F. I find the caramel turns out a bit better and clings to the apple a little better.
- Once at that temperature, turn the heat off and remove the pot to the adjacent burner. Let it cool for a minute or two and then pour in the vanilla extract and gently stir it in, don't stir it vigorously, that will add unwanted bubbles.
- Now allow the caramel too cool, I usually pour it into a pyrex bowl, because it is easier to dip, but you can certainly leave it in the pot as well, and then just tilt the pot when dipping.
- The best dipping temperature is right around 190 F/88 C.
- Dip the apple in the caramel, then allow the excess to drain off. Use a butter knife or cake spatula and scrape some away from the bottom of the apple and scrape up a bit from the bottom. The caramel on the upper part will drain down a bit with gravity.
- At this point, you can also dip the caramel apple in a bowl of chopped nuts, peanuts, pecans, walnuts, etc.
- Place the dipped caramel apple on a sheet pan lined with a silicone baking mat or a piece of parchment paper. Do not use wax paper.
- Once done with all of them. Put the pan in the fridge and allow the caramel to set for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Remove the caramel apples from the fridge and allow them to sit for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature. Just cut down the sides with a knife and then slice them into bite-sized pieces. Or feel free to take a bit out of one. Enjoy!
- Now if you have leftover caramel, you can make yummy soft caramel candies. Just pour the leftovers onto a pan lined with parchment paper. Then place it in the fridge for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Once cooled remove it from the pan and place it on a cutting board, but still on the parchment paper. Cut it up into little squares. If the caramel is too hard to cut, allow it to warm up a bit at room temp.
- You can wrap them with caramel candy wrappers, little pieces of parchment paper, or just leave as is. Just don't stack them, they will stick to each other.