Halloween Toffee Apples Recipes

TOFFEE APPLES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Place the sugar, warm water, glucose, and vinegar in a large saucepan. Gently heat, while stirring, to dissolve the sugar, but make sure not to bring to a boil at this stage.
• Once all the sugar has dissolved, raise the heat and bring the toffee to a rolling boil. Using a candy thermometer , boil to 270 F/140 C. This can take 10 to 20 minutes. If you do not have a candy thermometer, take a cup of cold water and once the toffee has started to thicken, drop a little of the toffee into the cold water. The toffee should solidify as it hits the water, and when you remove it from the water, the toffee threads should still be slightly flexible, not brittle. If the toffee is soft, continue to cook.
• While the toffee is boiling, place the apples in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for a few minutes, then remove from the water and rub the apples with a tea towel and dry thoroughly. (The hot water and the rubbing will remove any waxy surface from the apple.) Once dried, remove the apple stems and push a chopstick or lollipop stick into the hole.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper .
• Once the toffee is ready, remove from the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes to let the bubbles subside. (It is important to wait until all the bubbling calms down to create a smooth surface on the apples.) Once the bubbles have stopped, add the food coloring and stir gently.
• Working quickly, tilt the pan slightly and dip the apples into the toffee; twirl around to completely coat the apple. Lift the apple from the pan and allow any excess toffee to drain away. Stand the toffee apple onto the lined baking sheet and leave to set around 20 minutes, or longer if possible.
• If the toffee starts to thicken and harden as you are coating the apples, place the pot back on the heat and warm through, but do not boil. If you are not eating the toffee apples right away, wrap in cellophane.
• Serve and enjoy!

HOMEMADE TOFFEE APPLES

Steps:

• Place the apples in a large bowl, then cover with boiling water (you may have to do this in 2 batches). This will remove the waxy coating and help the caramel to stick. Dry thoroughly and twist off any stalks. Push a wooden skewer or lolly stick into the stalk end of each apple.
• Lay out a sheet of baking parchment and place the apples on this, close to your stovetop. Tip the sugar into a pan along with 100ml water and set over a medium heat. Cook for 5 mins until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the vinegar and syrup. Set a sugar thermometer in the pan and boil to 150C or 'hard crack' stage. If you don't have a thermometer you can test the toffee by pouring a little into a bowl of cold water. It should harden instantly and, when removed, be brittle and easy to break. If you can still squish the toffee, continue to boil it.
• Working quickly and carefully, dip and twist each apple in the hot toffee until covered, let any excess drip away, then place on the baking parchment to harden. You may have to heat the toffee a little if the temperature drops and it starts to feel thick and viscous. Leave the toffee to cool before eating. Can be made up to 2 days in advance, stored in a dry place.

CHOCOLATE APPLES

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of just simmering water, being careful that the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir frequently for 10 mins until completely melted, smooth and shiny. Remove from the heat. Alternatively, heat the chocolate in short bursts in the microwave, stirring between each burst, until melted.
• Put the apples in a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water from the kettle. Drain carefully, and wash under hot water to remove any residual wax on the skin. This helps the chocolate stick better. Pat dry with kitchen paper, remove the stalks and push a lolly stick or skewer in its place.
• Line a baking tray or large board with baking parchment. Hold the apples by their sticks and dunk into the melted chocolate. Use a spoon to coat the tops of the apples if you like. Once the apples are completely coated, hold over the bowl for a few seconds for excess chocolate to drip back into it, then place, stick pointing up, onto the prepared tray. Leave to set for a minute or two.
• Tip the decorations into separate bowls. When the chocolate on the apples is just starting to set but not fully firm, sprinkle the decorations onto the apples. Hold them on their side and rotate using the stick to completely cover. Place back on the tray and leave until completely set.
• If using the white and dark chocolate to decorate, heat each separately, as you did the milk chocolate in step 1, then leave to cool slightly. Melt the dark chocolate first, then when the chocolate apples are set hard, use a teaspoon to drizzle this over them, again holding the stick so the apple is on its side and rotating the apple. Have a sheet of baking parchment underneath to catch any drips. Place back on the tray and leave to set, then repeat the process using the white chocolate. Will keep in an airtight container in a cool place for two days.