Homemade Caramel Apples

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make caramel apples? Gather the ingredients. Small apples are best — they're easier to eat and to dip in caramel. Use any color of food coloring; you can even make several colors of caramel if you're doing a big batch.

2. Step 2:

   

   Wash the apples very well. These days they're often sold with a waxy coating that caramel won't stick to, so scrub them with baking soda and hot water — a brush helps. Dry the apples thoroughly and remove the stems from both ends. Chill them in the fridge; caramel coats cold fruit better.

3. Step 3:

   

   Dissolve your chosen food coloring in the water. You want a rich, vivid color.

4. Step 4:

   

   Take a pot that's tall and not too wide, so an apple can fit almost up to its full height. Add the sugar and pour in the colored water. Set the pot over low heat.

5. Step 5:

   

   Stirring constantly, dissolve the sugar and bring it to a boil. Then stop stirring and let the caramel boil gently for 2–3 minutes.

6. Step 6:

   

   Take the caramel off the heat. It will keep bubbling vigorously for a while — that's normal.

7. Step 7:

   

   Wait until the bubbles leave the surface — but don't let the caramel cool too much, or it'll start to harden. You can pop any small bubbles with a fork.

8. Step 8:

   

   While the caramel boils and then settles, take the apples out of the fridge and push a stick into each one. Push it in deep enough that it reaches past the middle of the apple and holds firmly.

9. Step 9:

   

   Take a flat plate and brush it with a thin layer of flavorless vegetable oil. Set out a bowl of sprinkles. You can skip this step if you don't want to use sprinkles.

10. Step 10:

    

    Hold an apple by the stick and dip it into the warm caramel, turning it several times. If there isn't much caramel left in the pot, tilt it to coat the entire surface of the apple.

11. Step 11:

    

    Next, dip the apple into the sprinkles — or just scatter them over the top, whichever you prefer. Set the apple on the prepared plate.

12. Step 12:

    

    When all the apples are done, leave them to set upside down — I stuck the sticks into a pumpkin. Once the caramel hardens, you can turn them right-side up. Enjoy!