How to Make Caramel Apples - Cooking Tips

Caramel apples are a great snack that everyone enjoys. You will find them sold in many different types of stores but they are also easy to make at home. They can be made from store-bought caramels or you can make your own caramel from scratch if you desire. Be sure to select nice firm, blemish free apples that are medium in size rather than large. The medium apples are easier to handle and coat with caramel. They are also a little easier to eat. A semi-tart apple is a good choice to compliment the sweetness of the caramel. If you don't have your own apples they can be found in abundance at farmer's markets, apple orchards, and your local food store. During apple season there are many varieties available to choose from. Some apple varieties that make good caramel apples are Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Fuji, Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Jonagold, and McIntosh. Shown below are the easy steps to making caramel apples.

Caramel Apples
Ingredients:
	5 or 6 apples 14 to 16 oz. bag of caramels 2 tbsp. milk		chopped nuts, chocolate chips, sprinkles, or other candies (optional) popsicle sticks

Wash the apples in cold water. If you purchase the apples from a local market they may have a waxy coating on them that will prevent the caramel from sticking. Wipe them off with a warm, damp rag to remove this coating. Be sure to wipe the apples completely dry with paper towels. If the apples are wet, the caramel will not stick.
Be sure to start with room temperature apples. The melted caramel will harden too quickly if the apples are cold when trying to coat them. Remove the stem from each apple but do not peel the skins.
Insert wooden sticks in the center of each apple through the stem end. Push the sticks in about three quarters of the way through the apple so they are nice and sturdy.
Butter the surface of a plate or cookie sheet, or line it with buttered parchment paper to set the apples on once they have been coated.
Remove all of the wrappers from the caramels and place them in a saucepan along with 2 tablespoons of milk.
		Melt the caramels over medium low heat. Stir constantly to prevent the caramel from burning. Cook until all caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth.
		Remove from the heat and begin coating the apples with caramel by holding on to the stick and twirling it in the melted caramel.
You may have to spoon some of the caramel on the top of the apple to get it all coated.
Allow the excess caramel to drip back into the saucepan and use a knife to scrape the excess off the bottom. Place the coated apple on the buttered plate to allow it to cool.
If you are going to add additional toppings, such as little candies, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts, dip the apple in them as soon as it is coated so that the caramel is still soft and the items will stick.
Be sure to work quickly when coating the apples. The caramel will begin to harden quickly. It may help if you can turn the burner on the stove off and leave the pan over the warm burner to help keep the caramel melted as you are coating the apples. You may have to reheat the caramel slightly to finish coating the apples but be careful because it will be easy to over heat them when there is less caramel in the pan.
		After coating, allow the apples to cool for awhile before eating so the caramel has a chance to set-up a little.
Note: The apples do not need to be refrigerated unless you want your apples to be cold when you eat them. If you do refrigerate them, you will want to remove them and allow them to stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before eating to allow the caramel to soften slightly.