Two Faced Chef

Well, this is my first guest post, kinda.  This recipe is a creation by the lovely Little Mommies and she’s gonna fill in the directions.  These candy apples are sure to amaze and please every palate while making your guests think you are a master dessert chef.  They came in quite handy when I wanted to take a three week vacation before starting my job after graduation, and I needed to butter up my coworkers to the idea.  It’s amazing how a little sugar can breed a lot of friends.

Meet the apples:

Ugh,  it’s perfection on a stick.  They make the little devil on my shoulder scream about how size 0 dresses are for posers.  I think I actually picture heaven as a place where these daddies grow on trees and I can bathe in them for breakfast.

Here’s the recipe, directly from the mouth of the chocolate beast also known as Little Mommies….

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Chocolate Covered Caramel Apples

Ingredients:

• 6 Fuji apples (about 8 ounces each)
• 24 ounces Merckens’ or Nestle’s bulk caramel or 24 ounces Brach’s caramel squares
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 24 ounces milk, semisweet or dark chocolate or chocolate melting wafers**
• 6 ounces unsalted peanuts, toffee pieces, shredded coconut, sprinkles (or other desired topping)

Wash and dry apples.  Place large lollipop stick in center; set aside.  Line a cookie sheet with Silpat, a non-stick, silicone, cookie sheet liner: set aside.  Line an additional clean cookie sheet with waxed paper.

In a 4-cup, microwave safe measuring cup, mix caramel, corn syrup and vanilla. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring well, until smooth.  Dip one apple in center of hot caramel.  Twist apple until well coated up to top of apple.  Place caramel-coated apple on Silpat-lined cookie sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart.  Let caramel cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, temper chocolate or melt melting wafers.  Dip caramel apple into melted chocolate and allow excess chocolate to drain back into chocolate.  Transfer chocolate covered-caramel apple to wax paper lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle apple with desired topping.  Continue with remaining apples.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until chocolate has set.  Wrap apples in plastic bags and tie with a ribbon. Store in refrigerator.  Let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.  Makes 6 apples.

If you don’t have a Silpat, line a baking sheet with chopped nuts (or topping of your choice).  After dipping apple in caramel, place on topping while caramel sets up.  Since caramel will stick to practically any surface other than the Silpat, this is the best alterative method.

**If you don’t know how to temper real chocolate, don’t want to learn, or just can’t be bothered, you may use chocolate melting wafers instead of real chocolate.  The chocolate isn’t as yummy as real chocolate, but your friends will still swoon over this calorie-laden treat.  (Maybe in a future post, I will tackle tempering chocolate for us.)  Melting wafers, also known as candy melts and confectionary coating, are a very easy to use chocolate substitute.  I prefer the Merckens’ brand and it is available in many candy and craft stores.

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Isn’t she just a chocolate maven?  We’ve made these handsome devils together quite a few times, and they always please.  I suggested slicing them up and serving them in wedges, although it is quite enjoyable to bite straight into one–which I might or might not have done.  They are also super heavy, and a really good weapon if you’re ever caught in the wrong place at the wrong time….