Gorgeously Ghoulish Apples

Last Halloween I made caramel covered apples for Coco's preschool class.  I had a few extra minutes so ran to the back yard to grab some twigs for sticks and put a few drops of red food coloring into the caramel - no big deal, right?  Well, I have to say they caused quite the stir among the moms with lots of "Where did you buy those?" "How do you find the time?" and a few "Don't give us moms a bad name!"  So, as I promised several of the mothers, here are three quick and easy ways to make showstopper apples that you can pull off in an hour.... BLOODY MUMMY APPLESIngredients:6 apples1 bag of white chocolate chips3 cups sugar1 cup water1/2 cup corn syrupred food coloring6 strong twigscandy thermometer Recipe:- Wash and dry apples.- Insert 1 twig into each apple center.- Place chips in microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring with a spatula after each time, until fully melted.- Dip apples in white chocolate.  Well, it's more of a roll.  I tilted my bowl to the side and lay the apple in and just gave it a few good twists until it was fully covered.- Place on a cookie sheet to set- Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in a saucepan.- Add candy thermometer and heat on high, boil until it reaches the hard ball stage (300 degrees).- Remove from heat and add red food coloring and stir until color is fully mixed.- Working quickly (the candy will set up in 10-15 minutes), take a small spoon and dribble the candy around the edges of the apple.  Also pool some around the stick to cover the exposed part of the apple as well. Don't worry about the little wispy strings that will form, you can break those off later.- Let cool CANDY BLOOD COVERED APPLESIngredients:6 apples

3 cups sugar1 cup water1/2 cup corn syrupred food coloring6 strong twigsCandy thermometerRecipe:- Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray.- Wash and dry apples.- Insert 1 twig into each apple center.

- Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in a saucepan.- Add candy thermometer and heat on high, boil until it reaches the hard ball stage (300 degrees).- Remove from heat and add red food coloring, stir until fully mixed.- Working quickly, roll each apple in the candy mixture until covered.- Place apple on parchment until set. 

S'MORE APPLESIngredients:6 apples6 strong twigsGraham cracker crumbs1 bag of chocolate chips1 bag of mini-marshmallosTorch (optional) Recipe:

- Wash and dry apples.- Insert 1 twig into each apple center.- Put graham cracker crumbs in a shallow bowl or large ramekin.- Place chips in microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring with a spatula after each time, until fully melted.- Dip (well roll - see above) apples in chocolate.- Immediately dip/roll chocolate covered apples in graham cracker crumbs.- Set on cookie sheet- Place large handful of mini-marshmallows on cookie sheet or in an individual ramekin placed on a cookie sheet. Arrange them into a nice 4" circle on the cookie sheet a couple of marshmallows high.  If you're using the ramekin, make a double layer of marshmallows.  Repeat six times on the same cookie sheet.- If you're using the torch - torch away!  They will probably catch on fire at some point (as marshmallows are wont to do, just blow it out).  If you're using the broiler method, just pop the cookie sheet under the broiler until every things a nice golden brown.- While the marshmallows are still gooey, place a chocolate and crumb covered apple on the top of each marshmallow mound. Let cool.- If you didn't use the ramekins, you can transfer the cooled apples to shallow baking papers to make them easier to serve.

 BOO!

Halloween, Home & Family