Did you know that October is National Caramel Month? Growing up, I had NO clue that each month had one of more foods associated with it! Did something like that even exist 50 years ago?!?!? Anyways, I made these caramel apples recently for the October issue of the Capital Area Women's Lifestyle Magazine, a local monthly magazine. The gal that I collaborate with over there is fabulous to work with. We share the same sort of "food humor." We bounce ideas back and forth, until we find a recipe we both can agree on. I think my first thought was to make candy apples, until I saw how involved they were. It usually takes us a little while to decide what to make! It has to be able to photograph well and easy to make. I am not a trained chef or baker and though sometimes recipes may look great, they can be VERY difficult to master. I guess I could have attempted to make homemade caramel, but why should I? I bought a bag of Kraft caramels at the store. Why make it hard, when it can be easy?!?!?!
11-ounce package Kraft Caramels
Two tablespoons milk
Sprinkles (for decorating)
Five “Treat” Sticks (I used the Wilton brand)
Wash, completely dry and remove the stems of the apples. Sometimes apples have a “wax” coating. You want to make sure you get that off or the caramel won’t stick, it will slide right off. Place the apples on a plate and put in the freezer for 15 minutes. Cover a plate with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. Unwrap the caramels and put in a medium saucepan. Add the two tablespoons of milk and bring to a medium-high boil, stirring constantly with a large spoon until smooth. Remove from the heat and let it sit about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, so it doesn’t harden up. Put chopped nuts and/or sprinkles into small bowls. Put a “treat” stick into each apple and push down. Dip the apple into the caramel, covering it completely. You can also spoon it on and smooth with a dinner knife. Roll in the nuts and/or sprinkles and place on the parchment paper. You will use a lot more sprinkles than you think you will need. I used over an ounce of sprinkles to cover ONE apple. Put in the fridge for 15 minutes to cool. These must be kept refrigerated!
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