Candy Apple

Candy apples are widely known as toffee apples. These are whole apples which are covered with a hard coating of sugar. The topping of these candies varies from place to place and is served with a stick that acts as a handle to pick up the candy. Candy apples are a special treat in the autumn festivals like Guy Fawkes Night and Halloween as these two festivals fall in apple harvest season. It is the most famous desert in United States of America as well as in other western countries.

Candy is a broad term which includes candy bars, chewing gums, toffees, chocolates and many more. Candy is made by mixing sugar in milk or water and this mixture is then boiled at a desired temperature. The final texture of the candy depends upon the temperature levels used for boiling the mixtures, the more higher the temperature the harder it becomes and the lesser the temperature the softer it becomes.

Candy is available in different forms and quality like soft, chewy, hard and brittle. Gum drops, lollipops, cotton candies and candy bars are some of the varieties available in the market. Gelatin is mixed with some candies, like marshmallows and gummy bears, which are made from animal bones. Thus these chocolates cannot be eaten by the vegetarian people. Sweets like apple candies are without any animal content so these can be eaten by all the people.

You do not need to be an expert cook for making the candy apples. For making the candy apples you will need:

Ingredients: One dozen red delicious apples, 4-1/2 cups sugar,12 wooden Ice Cream sticks, 1 tsp red food color, 1-1/2 cups water, 3/4th cup light corn syrup and 1 cup chopped nuts.

Procedure: Cover a baking sheet/ tin with butter paper. Keep it aside. Wash the apples clean and put the wooden stem through each apple leaving some part of the sticks above the apple. Take the chopped nuts in bowl which is deep enough to dip the apples. Add the corn syrup, sugar and the red food color in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir continuously until all the ingredients get dissolved properly or until the temperature reaches 290 degree F (check the temperature with the candy thermometer). The whole cooking process will take about twenty minutes. Take the syrup down from the gas stove and then dip the apples in it. Be sure that the syrup spreads evenly. When you finish dipping the apples in the syrup roll the apples in the chopped nuts and keep it for cooling (at least one hour cooling is needed before serving them).Your candy apples are ready to serve and eat. Candy apples are available in different flavors, so one can choose according to the individuals need.

Candy apples can be eaten for within a period of two weeks and if stored under the right temperature conditions the life of these candies can be increased. These candies need to be stored in a dry and cool place away from the sunlight.