Chocolate and Caramel Dipped Apples

Chocolate and Caramel Dipped Apples

Fall is a very quick season in Utah, so in an efforts to recognize the couple weeks of it we do have, I decided to make caramel apples. I used to make caramel apples at Zwahlens, but I was never involved in actually making the caramel or prepping the apples; I only dipped the apples. My co-worker made some recently but the caramel did not stick to the apples because of the wax that comes on apples to make them shiny and appealing. I was worried I would suffer the same fate, but they actually turned out great.

At few notes:

• Non-Stick Pan It is very important that you place the apples on a truly non-stick surface once they are coated. This could be a silpat (silicon baking sheet), parchment paper, or buttered wax paper or pan. I got two silpats for Christmas last year and I never bake without them. I never have to scrub a baking sheet, unless something goes over the edge.
• Refrigeration I don't like to refrigerate chocolate-dipped items because the chocolate gets dew on the outside and then when you put it at room temperature, the chocolate is discolored where the dew was. This may not happen for you, but it is what I've experienced.
• Wax on Apples This may not be good for you, but I washed my apples with dish soap, hoping it would remove some of the wax. If I had been at Sprouts I would have purchased organic apples because they are not much more expensive and  they will not have wax on them. I have also heard the suggestion to rub the outside of the apples with sand paper to remove the wax and create more surface area for the caramel to stick to (like scoring both ends of clay before attaching them together...).
• Type of Apple I don't know about different types of apples, but I'd advise using a crispy apple. I used fuji, which was nearly at the point of being too soft, but were okay. Stay away from red delicious apples. There is nothing worse than a mushy caramel apple. Well, maybe a few things are worse.
• Variety Have fun with these: use different types of chocolate on the outside, dip them in candy corn or M&Ms or nuts, dip the caramel apples in white chocolate and then in cinnamon sugar

Chocolate and Caramel Dipped Apples

Makes 5

5 Apples, washed, well dried

1 pkgs (13oz) Caramels

2 T Water

1/2 cup Chocolate (I recommend Ghirardelli Melting Wafers; these are sold in white and dark at most grocery stores)

1. Insert wooden skewer or Popsicle stick into the stem end of each apple. Prepare a surface to place the caramel apples on (silpat, parchment paper, or buttered wax paper).

2. Cook unwrapped caramels and water in a small or medium saucepan on medium-low heat until caramels are completely melted, stirring constantly.

3. Dip apples in caramel. You can tip the pan to the side so the caramel gathers in one spot. Then spin the apple in the caramel, about 1/2" from the stem. Set the pan flat and hold the apple till it stops dripping. Scrape the caramel from the bottom of the apple, then place on the non-stick surface.

4. Refrigerate for 1 hour. This will help cool the apple after being placed in hot caramel and will help cool and solidify the caramel.

5. Melt chocolate according to directions. Dip the same way as the caramel, except dip a little further away from the stem to give it the nice layered look. 

6. If you can wait, let the chocolate cool before eating.