Old-School Halloween Treats: Caramel Apples
Old-school Halloween Caramel Apples! There’s something about the crisp autumn air and the red-and-gold leaves that makes me feel nostalgic. Yes, I know there are tons of cutesy-crafty things on Pinterest to choose from. But I wanted to make some of the old-fashioned Halloween treats from my childhood.
Caramel apples and popcorn balls were some of the homemade treats given to trick-or-treaters before people had to worry about poison and razor blades.
When I had kids of my own, three of them had birthdays around the Halloween season. So I made a lot more cakes than other treats. I got really good at making Batman-, football-, and Ghostbuster-themed cakes. Also, I found how easy it is to make a Black Cat Cake with two round cake pans, and a Pumpkin Cake by inverting one bundt cake on top of the other and covering it with orange frosting.
My apologies to those who love Dinner in A Pumpkin as a tradition, but this was a major failure with my family. You hollow out a real pumpkin, and fill it with ground-beef type casserole. My kids were grossed out thinking that any of those little stringy strands in the pumpkin “guts” might touch their food. And they were never fans of casseroles anyway.
My granddaughter, Jayden, helped me make candied apples, witch hat cookies and popcorn balls last week. The cookies are so easy to assemble, no baking required, so she could do all by herself. But I wasn’t going to let a 6-year-old loose with hot caramel for the apples or popcorn balls. I dipped the apples in the caramel, and then she rolled them in the candies. She was pretty thorough in making sure there was LOTS of candy on them! I don’t think she missed a single spot!
She didn’t want to goosh up her hands shaping the popcorn balls, so she just watched and ate. I was surprised; that was my favorite thing as a kid, getting my hands all sticky with syrup.
Here’s my recipe for Caramel Apples. I started with a caramel recipe from “Candymaking,” by Ruth Kendrick and Pauline Atkinson. But, I cut the amount of butter in half, in hopes that the caramel wouldn’t stick on the apples better, instead of sliding off. I think it helped.
Store-bought apples have a waxy coating — that’s why they look so pretty and shiny. But it’s harder for the caramel to stick on the apples. I rinsed the apples in hot water and rubbed them dry with a paper towel in hopes of getting some of the wax off. I also refrigerated them for a half hour before dipping, which helped the caramel to set quickly. If you have apples from your own tree or a roadside stand, you won’t have to worry as much about the caramel sliding off. Also, don’t just dip the apple, use a spoon and pour the caramel over the top. Don’t worry so much about the bottom, because the caramel will pool as it sets up.
This recipe easily coated 8 large apples, with some caramel left over for licks and tastes.
CARAMEL APPLES
8 apples
8 wooden skewers
2 cups light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
Pinch baking soda
1/4 cup butter
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
Wash and dry 8 apples and refrigerate while making the caramel.
In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, combine corn syrup, water and sugar. Place over medium heat and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until mixture comes to a boil. Add soda and stir well. If sugar crystals are present, wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush.
Clip a candy thermometer to pan. Add butter and stir until thoroughly incorporated. Stirring constantly and without allowing mixture to stop boiling, slowly add milk. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly to keep mixture from scorching. (Be patient!) When temperature reaches firm-ball stage (232 to 234 degrees F for Utah’s altitude), remove from heat and allow caramel to cool to 200 F.
Have any toppings (candies, nuts, crushed cookies, etc.) in shallow plates, ready for rolling.
Insert a wooden stick in each apple, about 1 1/2 inches into the stem. Dip each apple in warm caramel. Spoon caramel over the top, and turn the apple to coat thoroughly. Quickly roll in nuts or candies. Place on a pan that has been buttered or lined with a silicone baking mat, and refrigerate immediately to help the caramel set.