Thanks again, adonisthegreek1!! I could find a way to even mess up trying to get out of a paper bag. 
I can't wait, I'm looking for the Peter's caramel right as we speak!!
adonisthegreek1, how many apples can be coated with the 5lb block. If I wanted to make 20-30 apples, would I need to purchase more than one?
According to Autumn Carpenter's book, ALL ABOUT CANDY MAKING, a pound of caramel does around 4 apples (depending on the size of apples). She recommends non-flo caramel for caramel apples and Peter's caramel for an apple covered with caramel, then dipped in chocolate as Peter's tends to flow off the apple.
I just use Coco Lite (milk-chocolate flavored coating) or Cocoa Dark (dark chocolate flavored coating). They are Mercan's Brand and may be packaged under the CK label. But any good quality candy coating is fine. If you use real chocolate which contains cocoa butter, be sure and temper it or it will streak.
adonisthegreek1, how many apples can be coated with the 5lb block. If I wanted to make 20-30 apples, would I need to purchase more than one?
It depends on the size of your apple and how thick you want the caramel on each apple. I use large apples and thick caramel for adults and get about 12 apples. If I make them for kids I use small apples and thin coating of caramel and get around 20.
According to Autumn Carpenter's book, ALL ABOUT CANDY MAKING, a pound of caramel does around 4 apples (depending on the size of apples). She recommends non-flo caramel for caramel apples and Peter's caramel for an apple covered with caramel, then dipped in chocolate as Peter's tends to flow off the apple.
I've never once had Peter's caramel flow off of my apples.
I make these every year at christmas time. I always use peters carmel, it is very smooth and tastes great and much easier than making a big batch of caramel. I wash and dry my apples and let them sit out to make sure they are at room temp when I dip. I do let the caramel cool a little after melting it. and then just dip......I always make sure the caramel covers the top of the apple and around the stick. This may help with the sliding off. I like to use a good chcolate to cover them in, they taste so good when using a nice chocolate. I always refridgerate them, since you poke a stick into them that will speed up the spoilage factor so refridgerating helps with that. I do serve them at room temperature though that is when they taste the best. I have seen them left out in stores ect and did try this to see how long it would last and about 4-6 days is the longest I would leave it out. I have kept them in the fridge much longer.
adonisthegreek1, how many apples can be coated with the 5lb block. If I wanted to make 20-30 apples, would I need to purchase more than one?
It depends on the size of your apple and how thick you want the caramel on each apple. I use large apples and thick caramel for adults and get about 12 apples. If I make them for kids I use small apples and thin coating of caramel and get around 20.
Oh... ok. thanks!!!
Ok girls, I made homemade caramel using the recipe on epicurious and WOW!!! This stuff is amazing. I made the store bought caramels last week and it was good but when I tried the caramel from the scratch, what a world of difference. I made 10 apples. 5 of them were dipped into boiling water for a second to get the wax off and the other 5 were washed like normal. I dried them really well. None of the caramel has slid off any of the apples. I guess I now know that I don't have to dipped them in the boiling water. I think the key is waiting for the temp. to get to 200 degrees before coating your apples. If it's hotter, it will slide right off. I am just so thrilled that I found a recipe that is amazing and I don't have to spend $20 plus shipping for caramel. Plus, it is super easy to make!!
I've been making Chocolate Caramel Apples for years, and this is the yummiest chocolate caramel I've ever had! It's really easy, too, and the caramel does not slide (humidity can cause the caramel to soften).
Recipe here for a printable version: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chocolate-Caramel-Apples/Detail.aspx
INGREDIENTS
18 small apples
18 wooden sticks
1/2 cup butter
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light-colored corn syrup
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped peanuts
DIRECTIONS
Wash and dry apples. Remove stems. Insert one wooden stick into the stem end of each apple. Set apples aside.
Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk; mix well.
Clip a candy thermometer onto side of pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thermometer registers 245 degrees (firm-ball stage). Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in vanilla.
Dip each apple into the hot caramel mixture, and use a spoon to spread the mixture evenly over apple. Allow excess caramel mixture to drip off. Immediately dip bottoms of apples into peanuts. Place apples, peanut side down, on waxed paper and let stand about 25 minutes or until firm.
I've been doing them for several years now. I use 12 small Empire apples, wash, dry, and put them in the fridge to get cold. My recipe is the same for apples and to make turtles.
2 cups sugar
2 cups evaporated milk (separated)
1 3/4 cup Karo syrup (white, but I've used half white/half dark)
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
chocolate to dip the caramel apples after their set
1/2 pound pecans if you're making turtles
Cook sugar, 1 cup milk, karo, and butter to boil vigorously. Gradually add the other cup milk. Stir constantly. Boil to soft ball 238 degrees (a little less for the apples), add vanilla. Take it off the heat, stir occasionally to cool while you stick your apples. Make sure it's cool and thickened before you dip your apples. Let set on parchment, then dip in chocolate (white, milk or dark), then drizzle with the other chocolate.
This is my favorite caramel - I've only had trouble with the caramel sliding off if the caramel wasn't cooled enough. I usually double the recipe in a large pan. And I like the small apples better than a bigger one.
Here is the link for the recipe that I used today. So awesome.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/102427
Cakepro's recipe looks awesome! You probably don't need to dip the caramel apple in chocolate since it's already in the caramel. I'm trying that next. Thanks cakepro!
I've just found this recipe for caramel apples
I'm going to give it a try (first time) thanks for the tips
CARAMEL APPLES
12 crisp apples
1 1/3 cups dark corn syrup
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
Line a baking pan with a generously oiled sheet of parchment paper. Push a candy apple stick into the core of each apple. Combine the syrup, sugars, heavy cream, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer until the mixture reaches 270 F about 15 min. Remove from heat, stir in the butter and vanilla. Let cool for 6-8 minutes until caramel thickens to a toffee like consistency. Dip and gently swirl the apples into the caramel and place on the prepared baking sheet. Let cool.
Hi ladies - here are some I've made in the past....
My most popular flavor - the Apple Pie Apple! Caramel apple, rolled in crushed graham cracker, sprinkled with cinnamon and drizzled with white chocolate!!
Hopefully this works...I've never tried attaching photos before.
Karen
I happened upon this thread today, and I must say these all sound and look so good! I was thinking of different things I could offer for the holidays, not just halloween... seeing as it's not good to send out candy or anything that is home made like this at halloween because it normally gets thrown out unless you know the person very well lol but I was thinking maybe for the halloween party as favors or something... great idea, great recipes, going to try a few of them! Thanks bunches everyone!!!
My experience has been to use a cool apple. I wash them and let them sit in the fridge overnight then let them sit for about 20 minutes at room temperature. I find that using a cool apple helps get a thicker coating of caramel and the apple cools the caramel so it doesn't slide off. Hope this helps.
Well I tried the Caramel Apple recipe I posted from Better Homes and Gardens and it SUCKS. I've checked out other recipes and I think they put too high a boil temp for the caramel because it was hard. You would think they would have a better recipe.
there was this fruit stand we used to buy our caramel apples from that were awesome! they had a kind of sugary coating w/ the caramel too... but now they don't make them like that. does anybody have a recipe similar to that? or any ideas of what it was they might have added...it wasn't just straight white sugar (or at least, i don't think it was)?
there was this fruit stand we used to buy our caramel apples from that were awesome! they had a kind of sugary coating w/ the caramel too... but now they don't make them like that. does anybody have a recipe similar to that? or any ideas of what it was they might have added...it wasn't just straight white sugar (or at least, i don't think it was)?
Are you talking about the hard candy cinnamon apples? Those are the ones I remember when I was a kid, especially at the fair! Here is a good recipe for those. Pretty much it is a hard candy with cinnamon flavor and color.
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=printerFriendly&recipe_id=1108326
I'm new to this site (well not really, but I'm new to posting in the forums!) But I have a great receipe for caramel apples that doesn't use the little wrapped caramels. This receipe is for about 16 small apples. Combine 2 cups packed brown sugar, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup corn syrup and 1/2 cup butter or marg. in sauce pan & bring to boil, stirring constantly. Cook over med heat 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat & stir in 1 teas. vanilla. You have to work quickly to dip each apple & I always, always then dip them half way in coco crispies cereal. I make them every year & we love them. Ofcourse, you can just leave them plain without the cereal too! Good luck! Oh yeah - I just place them on greased foil lined sheets to cool.
sounds great, thanks for sharing the recipe and technique.
I've been doing them for several years now. I use 12 small Empire apples, wash, dry, and put them in the fridge to get cold. My recipe is the same for apples and to make turtles.
2 cups sugar
2 cups evaporated milk (separated)
1 3/4 cup Karo syrup (white, but I've used half white/half dark)
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
chocolate to dip the caramel apples after their set
1/2 pound pecans if you're making turtles
Cook sugar, 1 cup milk, karo, and butter to boil vigorously. Gradually add the other cup milk. Stir constantly. Boil to soft ball 238 degrees (a little less for the apples), add vanilla. Take it off the heat, stir occasionally to cool while you stick your apples. Make sure it's cool and thickened before you dip your apples. Let set on parchment, then dip in chocolate (white, milk or dark), then drizzle with the other chocolate.
This is my favorite caramel - I've only had trouble with the caramel sliding off if the caramel wasn't cooled enough. I usually double the recipe in a large pan. And I like the small apples better than a bigger one.
Just tried this recipe last night! Thank you for posting it! It is very good caramel. Next time I will cook it longer, it was a little runny still, even after I cooled it down to where it was almost too thick to dip. We didn't make caramel apples, but dipped marshmallows in a stick and rolled them into pretzel pieces and nuts. The ones rolled in nuts and pretzels didn't run at all. The plain ones did, a bit. Today, we dip them in chocolate! Mmmmmm!
It would be really good for making chocolate covered caramels!
Will make it again on Wednesday and dip apples in it to give away to the neighborhood kids that we know.
Thank you again for the recipe!! Just wanted to share my experience with it!
I'm new to this site (well not really, but I'm new to posting in the forums!) But I have a great receipe for caramel apples that doesn't use the little wrapped caramels. This receipe is for about 16 small apples. Combine 2 cups packed brown sugar, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup corn syrup and 1/2 cup butter or marg. in sauce pan & bring to boil, stirring constantly. Cook over med heat 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat & stir in 1 teas. vanilla. You have to work quickly to dip each apple & I always, always then dip them half way in coco crispies cereal. I make them every year & we love them. Ofcourse, you can just leave them plain without the cereal too! Good luck! Oh yeah - I just place them on greased foil lined sheets to cool.
sounds great, thanks for sharing the recipe and technique.
you know, call me dumb, but before this thread, i had no idea you could MAKE CARAMEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! isnt that funny? i tried this recipe out tonight for dessert at a friends house and MAN, WERE THEY GOOD! seriously, i loved this caramel. it was so creamy and tasted wonderful. the best part...it didnt stick all over my teeth like the candy caramel! thank you, thank you, thank you- they were amazing~ i will be using this recipe often.
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