Turn the ultimate trick into the ultimate treat
Apples were nowhere to be found on my colleague Lucas Kwan Peterson’s Halloween Candy Power Rankings. Even the abominable red-and-white mints made the list. But fruit??
Face it: The only acceptable fruit on Halloween should be on a stick, coated in hard red candy, caramel or, in a pinch, chocolate — and even that is pushing it. As long as we are in do-it-yourself mode for this pandemic Halloween (you have made your Homemade Butterfinger Bites and PayDay Bars, right?), let’s get to it and make our own candy apples. Really, they are easier to make than pie (and those candy bars!). Below you will find a recipe for those beautiful bright red candy apples (my personal favorite) that is simple and straightforward. For caramel apple lovers, there’s a recipe for making the caramel from scratch and, if that is too intimidating, one for making them from caramel candies — easy peasy. Decorate them with chopped nuts or pretzels or Sour Patch Kids. Or go for salted caramel; there’s a recipe for that as well. Prefer something a little off the beaten path? Try the maple candy apples. Have a party with your pandemic bubble and make them all. Now that would be a real treat!
Candy Apples
Time 1 hour
Yields Makes 6 to 12 candied apples, depending on size
Caramel apples
Time 30 minutes
Yields Makes 5 to 6 caramel apples, depending on size
Salted caramel apples
Time 30 minutes
Yields Makes about 12 caramel apples, depending on size
Maple candy apples
Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Yields Makes 6 to 12 candied apples, depending on size
