Hard Red Candy Apples
8-10 small to medium apples, washed and dried
wooden skewers or popsicle sticks, for apples
Candy syrup:
1 cup water
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1/4 cup red hot candies
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
Insert wooden skewers into the stem end of each apple.
In a large (at least 2 quarts) aluminum heavy pot, stir the candy
syrup mixture together until sugar dissolves. On medium heat, bring
mixture to boiling without stirring. Do not stir, and let boil until
mixture reads 290-300 F on a candy thermometer (or when a drop makes
hard threads in cold water). This takes about 20 minutes, depending
on type of pan and amount of heat.
Remove pan from heat and immediately tilt pan and swirl each apple
quickly to coat. Allow a second for excess to drip, then set apples
on a greased cookie sheet to cool and harden. If syrup in pot
thickens too fast, return pot to low heat, then continue.
Let apples cool at least one hour before serving. Wrap each apple in
a square of clear plastic wrap to keep moist air from making them
sticky. (Don't use waxed paper!)
Caution: Do not ever double the recipe; it works best when made in
single batches. |