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If you'd like to deviate from the classic caramel apple, after the apples have cooled in the refrigerator for a few minutes, add a sprinkling of sea salt or roll the apples in a topping such as coconut, chopped nuts, or mini chocolate chips.
Makes 8 caramel apples
15 minutes preparation time
approximately 1 hour cooking time, plus time for chilling
8 small, tart apples
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
other equipment: 8 chopsticks or short, thick skewers
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Make room in the refrigerator for the cookie sheet and make sure that the refigerator shelf is positioned so that there is enough room above to accommodate the apples with their chopsticks/skewers. Wash the apples and place a chopstick or skewer into the stem end of each one. Line them up on the cookie sheet.
Place a small sauce pan over medium low heat and add the cream. When small bubbles appear at the edge of the pan, add the honey, vanilla and salt and stir with a wooden spoon to fully incorporate the ingredients.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat, keeping the mixture at a low simmer. It may take a while to get the temperature of the caramel right so that it simmers and continues to get hotter, but doesn't foam up too high. Continue to heat the caramel, stirring frequently, until it reaches 248 to 250 degrees. This will take a long time, maybe about 40 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool for a few minutes. When the temperature of the caramel has cooled to 190 degrees, dip an apple. The caramel should be liquid enough that it is easy to dip the apple, but thick enough that the caramel doesn't immediately run off. If it is too thin, let it cool a bit more. If it is too thick, place the pan again over low heat and stir for a few seconds.
Carefully dip each apple into the caramel until it is almost completely submerged. Lift it out of the caramel and let it any excess caramel drip off. Turn the apple upright and hold it there for about 30 seconds to give the caramel a chance to set. Roll the apple from side to side, evening out the caramel coating and allowing it to firm up. Place the apple onto the parchment paper to cool. Repeat with the remaining apples.
If the caramel stops sticking to the apples or gets very thick, return it to the heat and just bring it to a simmer. Removethe pan from the heat and begin dipping apples again.
Put the tray of apples in the refrigerator to cool for about 15 minutes. Remove them and, if you like, press any caramel that has pooled onto the tray back onto the apples (we thought it was fine to have a bit of pooling. It leaves the apple with a nice ridge of caramel right on the top when you flip it over to eat it).
Return the apples to the refrigerator to finish cooling. When they have cooled completely, wrap them in plastic wrap or wax paper to store.