Ingredients
Ingredients
- 6 small firm apples, about 4–5 oz (115–140 g) each
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400 g)
- 1/2 cup water (120 ml)
- 1/4 cup golden syrup (85 g)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- A little neutral oil for the parchment
Method
Recipe by Heather Schiefelbein.
- An adult should handle all hot-sugar steps. Keep children and pets away from the stove and work area. Set out six food-safe apple sticks, a candy thermometer, a small deep heavy saucepan and a baking sheet lined with lightly oiled parchment. Do not use decorative twigs.
- Rinse apples under running water and rub the skins thoroughly, especially if waxy. Dry completely. Remove stems and insert sticks firmly into the stem ends without piercing through the opposite side. Do this shortly before coating, not the day before.
- Put sugar, water, golden syrup and lemon juice in the saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat just until sugar dissolves. Bring to a steady boil and stop stirring. Clip the thermometer so its tip is in the syrup but does not touch the bottom. Cook to 300°F (149°C), the start of hard-crack stage, usually 10–15 minutes; temperature is the deciding cue. The syrup should be pale gold, not dark brown.
- Remove the pan from the heat and wait about 30 seconds for vigorous bubbling to subside. Wearing oven mitts, carefully tilt the pan slightly. Holding an apple by its stick, rotate it once through the syrup, keeping your fingers clear. Let excess drip into the pan and set the apple on the lined tray. Repeat promptly. If syrup becomes too thick, warm it briefly on low heat; never add water to hot syrup.
- Let the shells set for about 15–20 minutes. Do not touch or taste the coating while warm. Refrigerate the apples promptly once set and keep at 40°F or colder until serving. Let unused syrup cool completely in the pan before soaking the pan in warm water.
Serving, useful notes and storage
The photographed coating is translucent hard candy, not a soft dairy caramel. A calibrated candy thermometer is required. At elevations above 1,000 feet, use a locally adjusted candy temperature rather than following the sea-level number unchanged.
Hard candy can be difficult to bite. For serving, an adult can remove the stick and cut an apple into wedges on a stable board; warn guests about hard shell fragments. This is not a suitable whole-apple treat for very young children.
Make original-size batches. Extra syrup is needed for dipping depth and may remain; six portions describe apples, not equal consumption of all syrup. No calorie estimate is supplied.
For best quality, make and eat the same day. Keep coated apples refrigerated at 40°F or colder; the stick puncture lets apple juice collect under the coating. Do not keep a bowl of these at room temperature overnight. Limit unrefrigerated serving time to 2 hours total, or 1 hour above 90°F; discard after that.
Photo is serving inspiration; recipe developed independently and not kitchen-tested.
Photo: cottonbro studio / Pexels: Original photograph · License.
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