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Carmel Apples

post #1 of 47
9/17/01 at 3:28am
Thread Starter 
It's that time of year and I have a ton of apples from my trees. I made some carmel apples at home useing purchased carmels. Even though I followed the dirrections (2 T h20 added per bag of carmels) written on the package and the apples looked great the first day eventually the carmel started to sag downward into a puddle. I thought about using the carmels w/out the h2o but I think I did that before with-out positive results too.


I have a couple new recipes (which I haven't tried yet) specificly for carmel apples but I'm rather hesitant to make them. I'm hoping one of you might have a tried and true recipe for the carmel that won't sink off the apples with time? Anyone?
"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection", Rose Levy Beranbaum
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post #2 of 47
9/17/01 at 6:11am
Hey Wendy,

This recipe is from Martha Stewart. Tried and true not by me but a friend of mine. I haven't seen her results but she says that the recipe worked well.

Caramel Lady Apples



12 lady apples, washed and stemmed
2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, peeled, and chopped
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Insert a 5-inch dowel or popsicle stick into the top of each apple. Place hazelnuts in a small bowl.

2. Place sugar, corn syrup, cream, and butter in a small
saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until the temperature registers 245° on a candy thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Remove saucepan from heat, and briefly plunge it into ice water to stop the cooking. Dip one apple into the caramel, coat the top and sides using a spoon, and roll the bottom in the nuts. Transfer to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining apples.

I hope it works for you.

:D

[ September 17, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]
K

«Money talks. Chocolate sings. Beautifully.»
«Just Give Me Chocolate and Nobody Gets Hurt.»
«Coffee, Chocolate, Men ... Some things are just better rich.»
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post #3 of 47
9/17/01 at 5:18pm
Hi Wendy. I remember having this discussion on the other forum. Do you still have the recipe I gave you? I make about 500 every Octobe/November and never had a problem. I remember the first year I had to do them I did it with purchased caramels---it took longer to unwrap all the darn little candies than it did to melt and dip the apples! I finally came upon a recipe in Chocolatier magazine and it's been a keeper. Yell if ya need it and I'll post it.
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post #4 of 47
9/17/01 at 5:29pm
I never could understand what the appeal of candied and caramel apples are. Well, maybe caramel apples aren't so mystifying because I could simply eat the caramel. But candied apples look yucky to me and don't taste any better. Perhaps you can tell me why they appeal to you?
SmartGirl to the rescue!
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post #5 of 47
9/17/01 at 5:37pm
They were served at every single birthday party when I was a kid, and yet, to this day, I've never had a single one. Doesn't appeal to me either. I just think if you're going to mess with apples, they should be cooked.
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post #6 of 47
9/18/01 at 6:23am
Thread Starter 
I thought I had this issue resolved but when I searched thru my files I couldn't find a recipe with any personal notes on it to guide me. Now that you mention Dana, I sure do remember.

The recipe I have from Chocolatier is:

1 c. sugar
1 c. heavy cream
2/3 c. lt. corn syrup
8 T butter
1/8 t salt
1 t vanilla


Is that the right one d.?

Thanks Kimmie, I was between that recipe from Martha and the Chocolatier recipe, those were the recipes I was referring to.


As far as why anyone would like carmel apples, perhaps you've only seen or had store bought ones... mine don't even come close to resembling the pale tiny ones you see at the grocery store.

I make mine with several different combinations of toppings that are terrific. My freinds, family and clients love them!
The sweet carmel, crunchy toffee, chocolate and slightly tart juicey apples are a great flavor and texture combo! You can't know what your missing if you haven't tasted them...

P.S. It's appeal isn't to far off from chocolate dipped strawberries or other fruits. Sweet, tart and juicey.
"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection", Rose Levy Beranbaum
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post #7 of 47
9/18/01 at 8:05am
Wow Wendy,

When you figure it out, are you willing to share?

Shhhhht, I won't tell anyone...

;)
K

«Money talks. Chocolate sings. Beautifully.»
«Just Give Me Chocolate and Nobody Gets Hurt.»
«Coffee, Chocolate, Men ... Some things are just better rich.»
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post #8 of 47
9/20/01 at 3:12am
Thread Starter 
We're still eating the ones with store bought carmel...but when I make them again in a week or two I'll let you know Kimmie how the chocolatier recipe worked.
"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection", Rose Levy Beranbaum
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post #9 of 47
9/20/01 at 6:57am
Thanks Wendy, I look forward.

BTW, I have quite a few Chocolatier at home. Can you tell me where is the recipe?

:p
K

«Money talks. Chocolate sings. Beautifully.»
«Just Give Me Chocolate and Nobody Gets Hurt.»
«Coffee, Chocolate, Men ... Some things are just better rich.»
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post #10 of 47
9/20/01 at 12:50pm
Here's my working recipe in weights:
sugar 7 oz.
cream 1/2 c.
corn syrup 8 oz.
butter 4 oz.
salt 1/8 t.
vanilla 1 t.
cream 1/2 c.
Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil. Wash down pot and boil until soft ball(242 F). Add last amount of cream and boil to 250F. Remove from heat, add vanilla and stir. Start dipping apples.
Pour out the leftover caramel onto a greased sheetpan, you can cut into small pieces for eating.
The Chocolatier issue was October 1998.
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post #11 of 47
9/20/01 at 1:07pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks Angry! If I was 7 minutes earilier I could have saved you some typing d.

It's the same recipe I posted above, same issue of Chocolatier, Oct. 1998.

Have you ever made the red candy apples from the same article? My Mom used to make these when I was very young. I'm thinking about making them for old times sake but how the heck did we bite thru them?
"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection", Rose Levy Beranbaum
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post #12 of 47
9/20/01 at 5:23pm
Yeah, I just add red food coloring to my recipe. I think I did try the other recipe and it turned out fine too. People love the caramel/peanuts and caramel/chocolate vermicelli and also toffee.
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post #13 of 47
9/20/01 at 7:58pm
Thank you, Wendy.

:D
K

«Money talks. Chocolate sings. Beautifully.»
«Just Give Me Chocolate and Nobody Gets Hurt.»
«Coffee, Chocolate, Men ... Some things are just better rich.»
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post #14 of 47
9/21/01 at 3:11am
Thread Starter 
I also put chopped butterscotch bits and mini c.c. in with my toffee mixture to stretch it out since toffee cost so much. Or drizzle choc. on the sides like the store bought ones that go for $15.00 an apple. I never thought about jimmies before, I bet kids would love those with some halloween decos.

Do you have to wrap them? How does a catering company use so many? It seems abit unusual unless you do alot of bar mitzvahs...?

Have you noticed you can't buy toffee at any grocery stores anymore? I can't find heath or score bars anywhere. I have my own toffee recipe I like alot but sometimes it's nice to buy a small amount...
"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection", Rose Levy Beranbaum
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post #15 of 47
9/21/01 at 1:32pm
We only do them around the fall. You know, harvest type menus with lots of pies, pumkin/apple stuff and caramel apples. I send them out in a sheet pan which sits in a transit box. If I have to do a small amount I would wrap them, since they do look cute all wrapped up with a nice ribbon.
I make my own toffee in full sized sheetpans. The Spago chocolate book has a great recipe which I use. I can get Skor toffee bits in bulk from Ambassador, which is convenient when you need lots of it.
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post #16 of 47
9/21/01 at 5:10pm
Hi all,
Since we are now making fudge, we find it easy to dip the apples. We then roll them in nuts and sort. Our best seller, we coat with peanut butter, dip in caramel, and then chocolate fudge and roll. 7-9 bucks, can you believe that!
If ya'll ever make some fudge you should try this. I don't know, this may be common?
my 2 cnts.
Jeff

Never! Live To Work!:::::::Work To Live!::Life Is To Short!!
Paninicakes.com

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post #17 of 47
9/22/01 at 5:09am
Thread Starter 
Hum, I would guess when you dip the apple in the carmel it's sticky strength would pull off anything you had previously put on the apple and gunk up your carmel. So fudge clings nicely to apples, cool idea...peanut butter fudge and apples, yum...I can imagine all the combos!

Panini the average grocery stores sells these apples for $15.00 in my area. I've seen them in candy shops and catalogs for up to $25.00 an apple! I saw one catalog where they wrote theirs weights like 2lb per apple. That's a mighty big apple!
"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection", Rose Levy Beranbaum
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post #18 of 47
9/22/01 at 11:18am
WOW! thats good info. I really had nothing to compare them to. The ones I've seen have been done in chocolate. They are about the only things I will indulge in. The PB Car.Choco,man!. We use a ,oh great, brain fart, I can't think of the name of the apple we use. You should try it, actually I would like to send some to somebody to see if they ship. Interested Wendy? I get 10-15 requests for shipping a week.
Jeff

Never! Live To Work!:::::::Work To Live!::Life Is To Short!!
Paninicakes.com

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post #19 of 47
9/22/01 at 3:22pm
Am I ready these post right ?, are caramel apples selling between $7 and $25 dollars a piece ?.
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post #20 of 47
9/23/01 at 7:45pm
Thread Starter 
I can't see why they wouldn't ship? I'll e-mail you my address. Put a thin piece of bubble wrap around the apple and box it. As far as temp. I've bought perishable stuff from hot climates and sent items to relatives in FL, you just ask UPS not to leave any packages at the door. It's been awhile, but as I recall they were really easy (UPS) dealing with perishables. Get one of those rubber stamps that say "perishable" or stickers for your boxes.

CoolJ you can't get that for little regular old carmel apples with peanuts. You've got to dress them up. That's what they ask (of course that's why I make my own too), the darn things get pretty big once you put a ton of toffee and chocolate on them.

P.S. I made the carmel recipe from chocolatier....soooo much better than store bought carmels besides taste, no sag the day later.
"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection", Rose Levy Beranbaum
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post #21 of 47
10/10/01 at 6:55pm
Wendy,


In the latest issue of Chocolatier there is an article, with recipes, on caramel apple.
When I get a little money, I buy books. And if there is any left over, I buy food.

- Desiderius Erasmus
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post #22 of 47
10/10/01 at 9:10pm
Thread Starter 
Boy, I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong but I can't land carmel apples (at home). The first time I made them (after it was way too late I realized my thermometer was totally off/like broken, so I guessed at my stage and over heated), then I made them today (with a new candy thermometer) and I still screwed up.

I know I hit my temp. right. Put the pot in a ice bath for a min. or so to stop the cooking. Dipped the first 5 apples everything is fine then as the carmel cools down the butter starts to seperate. So then the carmel won't stick at all to the apples and leaves them with a film of butter. Even the extra carmel I put on wax paper is fine (tasting and consistancy) but there is a ridge of butter film around it.

There's only 2 things I can think that went wrong. First I used salted butter, because that's what I have at home. Second my own home grown apples aren't waxed (even though that's not supposed to be good for dipping), but I've found exceptions in how my produce lasts compared to store produce.

Angry, I'm using the recipe from Chocolatier, can you tell me where I'm going wrong? Can it be salted butter? NA ,that just doesn't make enough sense....what do you think? I'm not stirring when it's cooking and only a little after to mix in the vanilla....?
"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection", Rose Levy Beranbaum
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post #23 of 47
10/11/01 at 6:00pm
I have had the caramel separate only once, and I think I added a bit of cream to try and bring it back together. I'm sorry, I don't know the reason why, but it would be a good thing to find out why. Even if the butter was salted, it would not have made a difference because there is salt in the original recipe. When your mixture is boiling, in the beginning it looks like it's broken, but once you boil to the right temp. everything smoothes out. I dip all the way to the top of the apple so it clings to the stick and the caramel does not have a chance of slipping.
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post #24 of 47
10/12/01 at 5:13am
I've had caramel sauce separate that way, and I think it's less likely if the butter is added gradually, rather than all at once, so it has a chance to incorporate. Maybe you can add a bit less butter next time, too.
www.cakesuite.com
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post #25 of 47
10/12/01 at 6:11am
Thread Starter 
Momoreg the butter is cooked from the beginning with your sugars and 1/2 the amount of cream. I was VERY light with my stirring, but thats what the recipe calls for through-out. How much do you stir Dana?

I dip all the way up (for the same reason, to cling to the stick) and that actually helps, it was as I progressed the carmel held to the top but not on the bottom. That did work out because I coaxed the carmel down around the base with my hands once it was cool.

But it was when the carmel cooled down that the butter began to seperate. Adding cream sounds like a good idea, next time I'll keep some hot and ready to go. I stupidly attempted to re-warm it thinking it would come back together, ha... that just severely exasperated the seperation. So then it's not the cooling down that causes it, right (that make sense to you?)?

Maybe then, it's the heat remaining in the carmel that continues cooking it forcing out the butter and I should stop short of the firm ball (I rather believe this is necessary because it takes a bit to stop the cooking even in an ice bath) because as long as it's hot it's cooking...? Does that make any sense to you?

I kind of wonder if the recipe needs a bit more cream or less butter, if that's where the problem stems from? When I think about carmel sauces (of varying thickness I've made thru out the years) I can't recall one that had such a large quantity of butter... .
"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection", Rose Levy Beranbaum
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post #26 of 47
10/12/01 at 3:49pm
The recipe I posted ---I make in quantity x8. I cook it in a big pot and after it reaches the desired temp. I remove from heat and immediately start dipping. I don't worry about cooling down the caramel because the apples do that eventually. Maybe your caramel is too cool and that's why it doesn't cling. When I add the second addition of cream I stir a little bit to incorporate and then once it starts to boil I leave it alone.
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post #27 of 47
10/16/01 at 6:03am
Years ago when BIG caramel apples hit the market I was at the NYC Fancy Food Show....one of the apple guys had granny smiths dipped and said they would last 6 weeks....I was amazed at the shelf life. In St. Louis one of our Candy makers has a bionic apple that is the precurser to FALL....$3.98 and tart, sweet, crisp and chewy Plus it's great with pecans sprinkled on it.
cooking with all your senses.....
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post #28 of 47
10/17/01 at 7:42am
Thread Starter 
"Sundance", Robert Redfords' catalog has them (not too fancy)packaged 3 for $44. plus shipping........
"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection", Rose Levy Beranbaum
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post #29 of 47
10/17/01 at 12:49pm
That catalog has the most insane prices!!
www.cakesuite.com
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post #30 of 47
10/17/01 at 1:38pm
There is a taffy lady apples in Gale Gand's new book. Want the recipe?
When I get a little money, I buy books. And if there is any left over, I buy food.

- Desiderius Erasmus
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