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Candy Apple · 8 apples

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      Candy Apple

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      desserts•american•vegetarian, gluten-free
      45 minutes•8 apples•

      Ingredients

      • 8 apple – washed and thoroughly dried
      • 8 wooden stick
      • 1 tsp neutral oil – for lightly greasing parchment
      • 2 cups granulated sugar
      • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
      • 3/4 cup water
      • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
      • 1/2 tsp red food coloring
      • 1/4 tsp cinnamon oil – candy flavoring
      Candy apple

      Instructions

      1. 1.

        Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it with the neutral oil. Insert a wooden stick into the stem end of each thoroughly dried apple and set aside.

      2. 2.

        In a heavy 3–4 quart saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and cream of tartar. Stir just until the sugar is evenly moistened.

      3. 3.

        Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, stop stirring. Attach a candy thermometer, occasionally swirl the pan, and brush down any sugar crystals on the sides with a wet pastry brush. Cook until the syrup reaches 300°F/149°C (hard-crack), 15–20 minutes; it should be clear and very fluid.

      4. 4.

        Remove the pan from heat and let the bubbling subside for 20–30 seconds. Carefully stir in the red food coloring and the cinnamon oil until evenly tinted.

      5. 5.

        Working quickly, tilt the pan and dip an apple into the syrup, rotating to coat and letting excess drip back into the pan. Scrape the bottom lightly, then place the apple on the prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining apples. If the coating thickens, briefly rewarm over low heat until fluid again.

      6. 6.

        Cool until the shells are hard and glossy, 10–15 minutes. Serve the same day once fully set.

      Candy apples are crisp whole apples coated in a thin, glassy shell of hard sugar that shatters with a sweet, cinnamon-kissed crunch. The glossy red exterior contrasts with the juicy tartness of the fruit, making each bite bright and refreshing rather than cloying. Their eye-catching shine and carnival color are as much a part of the experience as the crackly texture and aromatic spice.

      Originating in the United States, candy apples are closely tied to autumn fairs, Halloween, and harvest celebrations. The modern version is widely attributed to a New Jersey candy maker in the early 20th century, whose cinnamon-flavored red sugar coating quickly became a sensation. Over time, regional cousins emerged—like Britain’s toffee apples made with golden syrup—but the American red, hard-crack shell remains an enduring icon of boardwalks and fall festivals.