Ultimate Caramel Apple

Market Forays
Home \| About Laurence \| Upcoming Forays \| View Menus \| Testimonials \| Recipes \| Contact Me
Fall Recipes Winter Recipes Spring Recipes Summer Recipes		Ultimate Caramel Apple
		I took a traditional American treat and gave it the French treatment. It is easier than you might think, and the result is delicious. After all, why use corn syrup when delicious local honey will do the treat? Fleur de sel, a crystallized sea salt popular with French chefs, adds a grown up touch, but feel free to substitute rainbow or chocolate sprinkles, chopped nuts, or whatever makes your guests happy. Careful, the caramel bubbles and rises while it cooks, so use a large enough saucepan. I used the Styrofoam packaging from a wine shipment to plant my chopsticks while the caramel cooled. Florist’s foam would work too, or just invert the apples onto a well- oiled marble counter or cookie sheet.
		Happy Halloween!

Ingredients	Process Wash and dry your apples, and cut the stem short. Insert a chopstick in each apple, pushing from the stem end toward the blossom end. In a heavy saucepan, place the sugar, honey, butter, and crème fraîche or whipping cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar is fully melted and the color of the caramel turns to a rich gold. This takes about 20 minutes. Do not let the temperature of the caramel go over 270 degrees Fahrenheit. Test the caramel by dipping a small spoonful onto a plate. Let it cool for a minute and taste it. It should have a full, rich caramel flavor and thick, chewy texture. When the caramel is ready, turn off the heat, and dip an apple in the caramel, swirling to coat the apple evenly. Plant the apple in the Styrofoam block to cool, or invert it on your oiled marble. Sprinkle with fleur de sel (optional). When the caramel is cooled, wrap in cellophane or plastic wrap.
12 small to medium apples, unwaxed 12 bamboo chopsticks 2 cups granulated sugar ½ cup honey 1/3 cup crème fraîche or whipping cream ¼ cup unsalted butter Fleur de Sel (optional)
Equipment
1 Four quart heavy saucepan 1 Wooden spoon 1 Candy thermometer 1 Styrofoam block or a well oiled slab of marble or granite, or well oiled cookie sheet

Ingredients

Process

Wash and dry your apples, and cut the stem short.
Insert a chopstick in each apple, pushing from the stem end toward the blossom end.
In a heavy saucepan, place the sugar, honey, butter, and crème fraîche or whipping cream.
Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar is fully melted and the color of the caramel turns to a rich gold. This takes about 20 minutes. Do not let the temperature of the caramel go over 270 degrees Fahrenheit.
Test the caramel by dipping a small spoonful onto a plate. Let it cool for a minute and taste it. It should have a full, rich caramel flavor and thick, chewy texture.
When the caramel is ready, turn off the heat, and dip an apple in the caramel, swirling to coat the apple evenly.
Plant the apple in the Styrofoam block to cool, or invert it on your oiled marble.
Sprinkle with fleur de sel (optional).
When the caramel is cooled, wrap in cellophane or plastic wrap.

12 small to medium apples, unwaxed
12 bamboo chopsticks
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup honey
1/3 cup crème fraîche or whipping cream
¼ cup unsalted butter

Fleur de Sel (optional)

Equipment

1 Four quart heavy saucepan
1 Wooden spoon
1 Candy thermometer
1 Styrofoam block or a well oiled slab of marble or granite, or well oiled cookie sheet