Caramel Apples
very fine sandpaper
skewer sticks
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup golden corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1/2 water
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or regular butter)
1 cup of powdered milk
about 24 small - medium sized apples
crushed nuts, candy or melted chocolate
Wash apples with hot water to get any wax off and dry the with a tea towel. Use sandpaper to scuff up the apple skins so the caramel will stick to the apple. Stick skewer sticks in the stem end of the apple and set on 2 cookie sheets covered with parchment paper.
Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in a medium saucepan at low heat.
In a pot combine water, white sugar, and butter. Boil till a rolling boil, remove from heat and let cool slightly. This can be done by pouring the water mixture into separate bowl and placing it into the refrigerator for a quicker process.
While warm, whisk the powdered milk into water, sugar, and butter mix. Whisk until no lumps remain and is a creamy color.
Bring brown sugar, corn syrup and butter mixture to rolling boil and add the other mixture in. As mixtures blends, it will look creamy. Continue stirring and bring mixture back to a rolling boil until it reaches the soft ball stage on a candy thermometer (234 degrees F or 116 degrees C). When you drop a bit from a spoon into a glass of water it will form a soft ball.
Once it has reached that temperature, take your apple on a stick and dunk it into the caramel. You may have to spoon it on as well. This is when you would roll the apple on to crushed nuts. Set the dunked apples on the prepared cookie sheet and leave the stick and apple as strait up as possible. As soon as you put the apple on to the cookie sheet, is when you would put any other candies, such as crushed chocolate bars, and candy pieces. If you were to put a drizzle on, you would wait until cooled.
