Sticky Situations: The Candy Apple

Ashley & I picking Apples

So a few weekend’s ago, Ashley and I decided to hit up  apple orchard to pick our own apples, bring them home and make some home made candy apples with them. We picked out the cutest little bags to put them in and were totally stoked to do this. So we made our first batch and it seemed like they all turned out… until the candy started to run off of them. The bottom of the pans we used were full of candy and the apples became bare. 

It was pretty disappointing considering we felt that we followed the instructions to the exact detail. 

Attempt 1

A week later I decide I’m going to try and make them again. I use the second kit we had bought and followed the instructions. The candy looked just about done when i left it for a second. I KNOW I KNOW your NOT suppose to leave it for ANY seconds I realize that NOW. I walked into my kitchen and the candy was bubbling black (like a witches cauldron) there was smoke EVERYWHERE. I threw the pot outside on the back porch while I tried to get the smoke out so the alarm wouldn’t go off (unlike normal people I was making them at like 12:30am). 

I grabbed the pot from outside and dumped it into the sink (another bad idea) because I didn’t have warm water going I had cold water going and it hardened the candy IN THE SINK. PLUS I thought I had ruined the pot, it was such a bad experience. 

Burnt Candy

I was so upset I headed to Sobey’s to grab what i needed to make these bad boys from scratch. Some sugar, corn syrup and food colouring and I was on my way to try it for a 3rd time. 

The third time I dyed the apples purple (well the candy). I cooked the candy long enough (so I thought) and began to coat the apples. They turned out amazing, it seemed as though the candy was sticking and they were going to turn out amazing.

So I left them over night on the table, but when I went to go check on them the candy AGAIN melted off. I was so discouraged and upset, I thought FOR SURE I had it perfect and then to see these amazing purple apples go to waste made me so angry. 

I gave it a few days after that to re-think my steps and so I started reading up on Candy Apples online.

4th attempt

The issue wasn’t with how I was making them it was because I didn’t have a candy thermometer to let me know when the candy had reached 300 degrees which means it was ready. SO I had to always ball park it. I did watch a video on youtube and the guy showed how you can tell if the candy is finished IF you do not have that thermometer to check. He showed that if you dip your spoon with the candy coating into a  glass of water and it hardens right away (rock hard) it is ready. So I did that, and stirred my candy, and tested it a few times. 20 minutes or more went by and I still felt like I wasn’t doing it right or that it wasn’t cooked enough. Until eventually I dipped some of the candy into the water and it coiled and hardened instantly.

I then took the candy off the burner and let it sit for a second before I started rolling my apples. 

I had bought 5 golden delicious and 5 granny smith (which are my favorite) and started dipping them in the candy. RIGHT away I noticed they instantly took form and hardened as the air hit them. The trick after that was coating ALL the apples before the candy went hard in the pot. 

You actually DON’t Need to put them in the fridge because within 5 minutes after dipping they should harden like a sucker, and they aren’t sticky. Its like a sheet of glass coating your apple. 

Honestly, they were one of the hardest things I had to make, and I wasted a lot of money on ingredients and apples just trying to get it right BUT I GOT IT RIGHT. 

If your going to make them, make sure you try and get your hands on a candy thermometer, because it is tough to try and ball park it (especially when you’ve never worked with candy syrup before). 

If you don’t have one the way you can tell your candy is on the right track is if it starts to bubble thick, and not like water, plus always be checking it when you dip your spoon in the water and see if the candy hardens or coils at the bottom of the glass like a web and hardens there. 

Cute bags from Dollarama

The best apples to use are the bigger ones, like your golden delicious, granny smiths, etc… 

I used a “from scratch” recipe from the foodnetwork:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/candy-apples-recipe2/index.html

Last Attempt AND IT WORKED!

That “from scratch” recipe will make you 10 apples (if you use the bigger ones). 

With the food colouring, get creative, I bought neon food colouring from Sobey’s that was pretty wicked. It gave me some vibrant colours to work with.

SO what did I learn from this experience? I learned NEVER to leave candy simmering on a hot stove, because at any second it can take a turn for the worst (almost like if you leave oil on a hot stove.) I learned that it takes patience’s for this candy to reach the perfect temperature and you have to be willing to wait for it to get there and not rush the process. AND I learned that if you try, and try again eventually you can learn from your mistakes and make something perfect if you are determined enough!!!

Let me hear about your Candy Apple experience (good or bad)! Please place a comment in the box below! I would love to hear your story!!!!

-christina

WATCH OUR APPLE ORCHARD AND 1ST ATTEMPT AT CANDY APPLES HERE:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150322663445563

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~ by Christina Sears on October 25, 2011.