Caramel Apples

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup crisco shortening
• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
• 12 medium mcintosh apples, washed and stemmed
• 12 wooden craft sticks

Recipe

• 1 line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. fill a large bowl half-full with ice.
• 2 in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan combine cream, sugar (so caramel will not boil over) shortening, and corn syrup; bring to boil over medium heat. continue cooking until temperature registers 245f on a candy thermometer, about 12-15 minutes.
• 3 remove from heat and briefly plunge the saucepan into ice water to stop the caramel from cooking. remove from ice water and let mixture cool a few minutes.
• 4 insert a craft stick in to the stem end of each apple. dip one apple into the caramel, coat the top and sides with caramel using a spoon. transfer to prepared baking sheet to cool. repeat with remaining apples.
• 5 option toppings: chocolate-covered toffee bits, crushed macadamia nuts, crushed peanuts, seasonal sprinkles, tinted coconut or chopped candy corn.
• 6 note: use 5-inch craft sticks, 1/4-inch in diameter. serve in seasonal cupcake liners.