Homemade Candy Apples

so it's Fall....my favorite time of the year.  Usually I'm all about pumpkin everything.....but apples rank up there too.  This year i'm discovering new things in the kitchen and experimenting as I go.  A few days ago, I layed eyes on a candy apple but wasn't about to shell out $4 for it.  So i decided to make some.

After scouring pinterest and reading several recipes and methods, i decided on the one that seemed most simple, as i'm not an experinced "candy" maker.

And, I had to buy a candy thermometer.  Walmart brand was a $4 investment.  I decided i skip so many recipes that call for one that i might as well just invest in one.

It was a lot easier than anticipated but still requires some fast skills....but luckily not numchuck skills or computer hacking skills...(lol Napoleon Dynamite).

Ok, so I acquired free apples.  And they weren't maintained, so don't judge their misshapen figures.  They taste just fine and free is free.

Recipe:

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
10 drops red food coloring
10-15 apples (depending on size)

Sticks for the apples, i used bamboo skewers cut in half since i forgot to stop at the store and hunt down popcicle sticks.  make sure they are strong enough, whatever you use, they are important in the coating process.

Spray a tray or something flat with cooking spray.  Wash, dry and twist off your apple stems.  Put all your sticks in your apples.

Put the ingredients (except for apples) in a medium pot and bring to a boil.  Insert your candy thermometer (don't let it touch the bottom of the pot) and boil until temp. reaches 300 degree.  (for me, this took longer than i expected.  maybe it was my cooktop or whatever, but it was like 20 minutes.  i don't think this is typical).  When it reaches 300 degrees take it off the burner and WORKING QUICKLY dip, spin and let the excess drip off.
Quickly is the key!

I had baseball sized apples and this batch did 15.  I barely had enough time as i was on the last two the coating was already getting hard.  I planned on dipping them in a variety of toppings like sprinkles and nuts but i had no time.  You'll need an extra pair of hands if you plan on adding extras!  By the time i was done dipping the last one, the first ones i did had already dried!

The coating immediately got hard but i left them on the counter and by the next morning it had gotten tacky again.  so either put them in the fridge or consume them right after eating.  They still tasted good even though they were tacky. ;)