Caramel apples or toffee apples are whole apples covered in a layer of

caramel Caramel ( or ) is an orange-brown confectionery product made by heating a range of sugars. It can be used as a flavoring in puddings and desserts, as a filling in bonbons, or as a topping for ice cream and custard. The process of carameli ...

. They are created by dipping or rolling

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancest ...

s-on-a-stick in hot caramel, sometimes then rolling them in nuts or other small savories or confections, and allowing them to cool. When these additional ingredients, such as nut toppings, are added, the caramel apple can be called a taffy apple.

Production

For high-volume production of caramel apples, a sheet of

can be wrapped around the apple, followed by heating the apple to melt the caramel evenly onto it. This creates a harder caramel that is easier to transport but more difficult to eat. Caramel apple production at home usually involves melting pre-purchased caramel candies for dipping or making a homemade caramel from ingredients like

corn syrup Corn syrup is a food syrup which is made from the starch of corn (called maize in many countries) and contains varying amounts of sugars: glucose, maltose and higher oligosaccharides, depending on the grade. Corn syrup is used in foods to soft ...

brown sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

butter Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condim ...

, and

vanilla Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids of the genus '' Vanilla'', primarily obtained from pods of the Mexican species, flat-leaved vanilla ('' V. planifolia''). Pollination is required to make the plants produce the fruit from whic ...

. Homemade caramel generally results in a softer, creamier coating. In recent years, it has become increasingly popular to decorate caramel apples for holidays like

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observan ...

. Methods used to do this include applying sugar or salt to softened caramel, dipping cooled, hardened apples in white or milk

chocolate Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels that is available as a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring agent in other foods. Cacao has been consumed in some form since at least the Olmec ci ...

, or painting designs onto finished caramel apples with

white chocolate White chocolate is a confectionery typically made of sugar, milk, and cocoa butter. It is pale ivory colored, and lacks many of the compounds found in milk and dark chocolates. It is solid at room temperature because the melting point of cocoa ...

colored with

food coloring Food coloring, or color additive, is any dye, pigment, or substance that imparts color when it is added to food or drink. They come in many forms consisting of liquids, powders, gels, and pastes. Food coloring is used in both commercial food ...

. Classically, the preferred apples for use in caramel apples are tart-tasting apples with a crisp texture such as Granny Smith.

History

Hunter’s Candy in Moscow, Idaho sold the first caramel apples in 1936. Hard-coated candy apples had been around since 1908, but Hunter's Candy created a new treat by coating the apples with their caramel. During World War II, these apples were shipped overseas to soldiers in Korea, Japan, and England. In 1948, the Kastrup family founded The Affy Tapple Company. The recipe for their caramel apples came from Edna Kastrup and is still used today for their "The Original Caramel Apple" line In 1960, Vito Raimondi patented the first automatic caramel apple making machine, replacing much of the process that involved production by hand.

References

External links

* Confectionery Halloween food Apple dishes {{confection-stub

Production

History

See also

References

External links