Guest guest Posted September 16, 2001 Report Share Posted September 16, 2001 ~Giggle~ Forgot to add the recipe for y'all *Smile* Chris (List mom) http://www.alittleolfactory.com ~~~~~~ Chocolate-Covered Caramel Apples by Stephanie Zonis http://recipe.epicurean.com/epicurean/recipe_files/16105.html Ingredients: 4 crisp apples, firm, unbruised and WITH STEMS, each weighing 6-1/2 to 7 ounces 12 ozs. soft and fresh wrapped caramels 1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. hot water 12 ozs. good-quality chocolate (milk, semisweet, or a combination), chopped 1-1/2 tsp. solid vegetable shortening About 1 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans, chopped medium-fine) OR toffee chunks Directions: Wash and dry apples well, and set out on a kitchen towel at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This is especially important if the apples have been refrigerated; they must not be refrigerator cold when dipped. Unwrap caramels and place in small heatproof bowl. Place over simmering water on low heat (water should not touch bottom of bowl); stir frequently until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and hot water. All at once, add hot water; stir until incorporated (this will take a couple of minutes). Note: Some caramels are more stubborn about melting than others. If you cannot get your caramels smooth while melting or after adding the water, turn the caramel mixture into a powerful food processor fitted with a steel blade, and process briefly just until smooth. The caramel mixture should be a very thick, gooey sauce. Cool until just slightly warm, stirring occasionally. While the caramel cools, dry the apples again if any condensation has formed on them. You'll need one or two dipping bowls. Ideally, these should be just about as deep as the apples are tall (no deeper); they must be able to accommodate the width of the apples, but shouldn't be more than an inch or two wider. I use a bowl that is perfect for width, but a bit too shallow - OK. Prepare a pan by lining the bottom with baking parchment cut to fit. The pan should be able to accommodate all four apples without their having to touch. If you absolutely cannot get baking parchment, line the pan bottom with several layers of plastic wrap. DO NOT use wax paper or foil (even if the foil has been greased), as the caramel will stick tenaciously to either. When the caramel is just slightly warm, scrape it into the dipping bowl. Place one apple into the caramel. If your bowl is a bit too shallow, like mine, you'll have to use a flat knife to spread the caramel to cover the sides of the apple as well as the top, stopping about an inch out in all directions from the stem. You must work fairly quickly here, as if your apples are below room temperature they'll thicken the caramel. If the caramel becomes too thick to work with, you can re-heat it over hot water, then cool it again. Pick up the apple by the stem and remove it from the caramel - you'll probably have to pull hard. With the knife, scrape off any extra caramel - you want a thick coating, but if it's too thick you won't have enough for all of the apples. Hold the apple by the stem and allow the excess caramel to flow back into the bowl for a minute or two, then place on the parchment-lined pan bottom. Repeat with other apples. If a stem comes out of the apple while you're working with it, don't despair; if you're dipping the apple, wedge a knife or spoon gently under it. Lightly dampen your hands, then pick up the apple, scrape off excess caramel, and place on the parchment. The sides of the apple will have a thinner caramel coating where your hands touched it, but that can be fixed later, so don't worry. Place the apples in the refrigerator to chill for 30 to 60 minutes. The caramel should set up considerably during this time. After 30 minutes, look at the apples. If any have pools of excess caramel gathered at the bottom, are covered unevenly with caramel, etc., this is the time for repair. Take one apple by the stem, and try to peel it off the parchment paper. It should come off; if so, replace it, and do the same to the rest. If any apple sticks to the parchment, dampen your hands lightly. Place one hand over the apple and lift the whole thing from the parchment. Quickly, with your dampened hands, work the caramel into shape over the surface of the apple, covering any thin spots, etc. Don't fuss too much with the apples - remember you're going to cover them in chocolate. If you can peel an apple off the parchment by the stem, you can work the caramel into shape over the surface as above. Return the apples to the parchment (don't let them touch), and then to the refrigerator. Wash and dry the dipping bowl you used, or have another ready. In medium heatproof bowl, place chopped chocolate of choice and shortening. Place bowl over hot water on low heat (simmering water if you use dark chocolate), and stir often until almost melted. Remove from heat and hot water; stir until melted and smooth. Cool until just slightly warm. While chocolate cools, tear off a sheet of wax paper about one foot long. Place on your work surface. Place the chopped nuts in a mound on the wax paper. Additionally, prepare a pan by lining it with aluminum foil; the pan should be large enough to accommodate the apples without having them touch. When the chocolate has cooled sufficiently, scrape it into the dipping bowl. Remove the apples from the refrigerator. You'll have to work quickly here; the apples are cold and will set the chocolate rapidly. Take an apple by the stem, peel from the parchment, and place into the chocolate. With a flat knife, cover the apple thickly with chocolate right up to the stem. Remove the apple from the chocolate by the stem; hold it over the dipping bowl while you scrape off any excess chocolate with the flat knife. Place the chocolate-covered apple into the nuts; gently pat nuts into the apple up the sides to about the widest point of the apple. Remove apple from nuts; place on foil-lined pan. Repeat with remaining apples. If you have trouble peeling an apple from the parchment, do not dampen your hand here - just place it over the apple and tear the apple off the parchment, then quickly place the apple into the chocolate. You might lose some caramel during this process - OK. If an apple loses a stem, cover it in chocolate as above, then gently wedge it out of the bowl using the flat knife and a fork or spoon; scrape off any excess chocolate as best you can. You'll probably have some leftover chocolate - OK. Chill apples until chocolate is set. It is the nature of these apples that caramel might leak through the chocolate covering in one or two places. You can ignore it, or, if it bothers you, scrape off the caramel " leak " and patch it with a bit more melted chocolate - be careful if you use the chocolate you melted to cover the apples, as if it's re-melted it can become grainy. When cold, store apples airtight. I like to present these wrapped individually in plastic wrap; I gather the ends of the plastic wrap at the top of the apple, and tie them together with a bow of colored ribbon. To eat these, bring to room temperature first (it's not absolutely necessary, but some people like to, and they're far easier to slice). Remove any wrapping; slice with a large, sharp, straight-edged knife. Serving Info.: Makes 4 apples Comments: These look stunning when they are finished, even without a lot of decoration, though you could certainly add that if you wish. People are crazy about them, too; they make nice holiday gifts, and they'd be super for a Halloween party. These take patience and time. They are not ideal for beginners. You'll need four crisp-textured apples - they must be firm, unbruised, and with stems. You'll also need store-bought, individually wrapped caramels, which must be soft and fresh, and parchment paper. For the chocolate, you can use milk, semisweet, or a combination. These must be stored in the refrigerator. Ideally they should be consumed within 3 or 4 days. You must cut these to serve them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 16, 2001 Report Share Posted September 16, 2001 My word she goes to a lot of work! I make these apples every year (I make around 50 for our Halloween party), and I do not go to nearly this much work! Here is my recipe for quick easy and delicious apples. Fresh, hard apples. Don't ever refrigerate them! Caramels melts! (here is the important part, get candy caramel melts at a candy store or craft store, or order them off the internet) Chocolate melts (same important thing) Whole nuts (cheaper than chopped, just stick them in the blender or food processor) Bamboo skewers Wash the apples. Dry them off and set them on a towel. Poke a skewer down into each apple about 3/4s of the way through. If you get skinny skewers, tape three together first then poke. Dry off excess apple juice. Put caramel melts into a bowl and stick in microwave. Microwave for 30 sec intervals stirring between until smooth. Dip and roll apples in caramel. Pull out of bowl and twirl above to quick set the caramel and create an even coating. Re-microwave if it gets to thick. Let set on counter for two hours or in fridge for 30 min. Melt chocolate melts in microwave. Chop nuts in food processor, put in bowl. Dip and roll apples in chocolate and twirl above bowl, roll in nuts. Set for two hours room temp, 30 min in fridge. It is important to put them on parchment paper, it is the only thing I know of that caramel does not glue to. You can get it at the same place you get the candy melts. Making fifty of these takes me about two hours (and an hour of that is in the fridge time). When all done I wrap in colored cellophane and tie with twisty ties then smack a ribbon on. If you are feeling creative, you can turn them into jack-o-lantern's by using raisins to stick in the eyes, nose, and mouth before dipping in nuts. Or just put in the raisins, or just put raisins in caramel. You can also buy white candy melts and add coloring. One year I made a small set that was dipped in white chocolate colored orange with green candy leaves on top (I only made eight of these, since I had to make leaves). Blessings, Soseneda Quidquid Latine dictum sit, altum videtur. ICQ# 47264444 AIM: SosenedaA : Soseneda_Arianrhod Looking for herbs and other witchy supplies? Many wonderful handmade items from Twining Vines available at The Town Market TheTownMarket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 16, 2001 Report Share Posted September 16, 2001 Hi! FOOD???? YEesssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!! Now here's one of my favorite things! ROFL Hugs, Mar~ Chris Ziegler wrote: > ~Giggle~ > > Forgot to add the recipe for y'all > > *Smile* > Chris (List mom) > > http://www.alittleolfactory.com > > ~~~~~~ > > Chocolate-Covered Caramel Apples > by Stephanie Zonis > http://recipe.epicurean.com/epicurean/recipe_files/16105.html > > Ingredients: > 4 crisp apples, firm, unbruised and WITH STEMS, each weighing 6-1/2 to 7 > ounces > 12 ozs. soft and fresh wrapped caramels > 1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. hot water > 12 ozs. good-quality chocolate (milk, semisweet, or a combination), chopped > 1-1/2 tsp. solid vegetable shortening > About 1 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans, chopped medium-fine) OR toffee > chunks > > Directions: > Wash and dry apples well, and set out on a kitchen towel at room temperature > for at least 30 minutes. This is especially important if the apples have > been refrigerated; they must not be refrigerator cold when dipped. > > Unwrap caramels and place in small heatproof bowl. Place over simmering > water on low heat (water should not touch bottom of bowl); stir frequently > until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and hot water. All at once, add > hot water; stir until incorporated (this will take a couple of minutes). > Note: Some caramels are more stubborn about melting than others. If you > cannot get your caramels smooth while melting or after adding the water, > turn the caramel mixture into a powerful food processor fitted with a steel > blade, and process briefly just until smooth. The caramel mixture should be > a very thick, gooey sauce. Cool until just slightly warm, stirring > occasionally. While the caramel cools, dry the apples again if any > condensation has formed on them. > > You'll need one or two dipping bowls. Ideally, these should be just about as > deep as the apples are tall (no deeper); they must be able to accommodate > the width of the apples, but shouldn't be more than an inch or two wider. I > use a bowl that is perfect for width, but a bit too shallow - OK. Prepare a > pan by lining the bottom with baking parchment cut to fit. The pan should be > able to accommodate all four apples without their having to touch. If you > absolutely cannot get baking parchment, line the pan bottom with several > layers of plastic wrap. DO NOT use wax paper or foil (even if the foil has > been greased), as the caramel will stick tenaciously to either. > > When the caramel is just slightly warm, scrape it into the dipping bowl. > Place one apple into the caramel. If your bowl is a bit too shallow, like > mine, you'll have to use a flat knife to spread the caramel to cover the > sides of the apple as well as the top, stopping about an inch out in all > directions from the stem. You must work fairly quickly here, as if your > apples are below room temperature they'll thicken the caramel. If the > caramel becomes too thick to work with, you can re-heat it over hot water, > then cool it again. Pick up the apple by the stem and remove it from the > caramel - you'll probably have to pull hard. With the knife, scrape off any > extra caramel - you want a thick coating, but if it's too thick you won't > have enough for all of the apples. Hold the apple by the stem and allow the > excess caramel to flow back into the bowl for a minute or two, then place on > the parchment-lined pan bottom. Repeat with other apples. If a stem comes > out of the apple while you're working with it, don't despair; if you're > dipping the apple, wedge a knife or spoon gently under it. Lightly dampen > your hands, then pick up the apple, scrape off excess caramel, and place on > the parchment. The sides of the apple will have a thinner caramel coating > where your hands touched it, but that can be fixed later, so don't worry. > Place the apples in the refrigerator to chill for 30 to 60 minutes. The > caramel should set up considerably during this time. > > After 30 minutes, look at the apples. If any have pools of excess caramel > gathered at the bottom, are covered unevenly with caramel, etc., this is the > time for repair. Take one apple by the stem, and try to peel it off the > parchment paper. It should come off; if so, replace it, and do the same to > the rest. If any apple sticks to the parchment, dampen your hands lightly. > Place one hand over the apple and lift the whole thing from the parchment. > Quickly, with your dampened hands, work the caramel into shape over the > surface of the apple, covering any thin spots, etc. Don't fuss too much with > the apples - remember you're going to cover them in chocolate. If you can > peel an apple off the parchment by the stem, you can work the caramel into > shape over the surface as above. Return the apples to the parchment (don't > let them touch), and then to the refrigerator. Wash and dry the dipping bowl > you used, or have another ready. > > In medium heatproof bowl, place chopped chocolate of choice and shortening. > Place bowl over hot water on low heat (simmering water if you use dark > chocolate), and stir often until almost melted. Remove from heat and hot > water; stir until melted and smooth. Cool until just slightly warm. While > chocolate cools, tear off a sheet of wax paper about one foot long. Place on > your work surface. Place the chopped nuts in a mound on the wax paper. > Additionally, prepare a pan by lining it with aluminum foil; the pan should > be large enough to accommodate the apples without having them touch. > > When the chocolate has cooled sufficiently, scrape it into the dipping bowl. > Remove the apples from the refrigerator. You'll have to work quickly here; > the apples are cold and will set the chocolate rapidly. Take an apple by the > stem, peel from the parchment, and place into the chocolate. With a flat > knife, cover the apple thickly with chocolate right up to the stem. Remove > the apple from the chocolate by the stem; hold it over the dipping bowl > while you scrape off any excess chocolate with the flat knife. Place the > chocolate-covered apple into the nuts; gently pat nuts into the apple up the > sides to about the widest point of the apple. Remove apple from nuts; place > on foil-lined pan. Repeat with remaining apples. If you have trouble peeling > an apple from the parchment, do not dampen your hand here - just place it > over the apple and tear the apple off the parchment, then quickly place the > apple into the chocolate. You might lose some caramel during this process - > OK. If an apple loses a stem, cover it in chocolate as above, then gently > wedge it out of the bowl using the flat knife and a fork or spoon; scrape > off any excess chocolate as best you can. You'll probably have some leftover > chocolate - OK. > > Chill apples until chocolate is set. It is the nature of these apples that > caramel might leak through the chocolate covering in one or two places. You > can ignore it, or, if it bothers you, scrape off the caramel " leak " and > patch it with a bit more melted chocolate - be careful if you use the > chocolate you melted to cover the apples, as if it's re-melted it can become > grainy. When cold, store apples airtight. > > I like to present these wrapped individually in plastic wrap; I gather the > ends of the plastic wrap at the top of the apple, and tie them together with > a bow of colored ribbon. To eat these, bring to room temperature first (it's > not absolutely necessary, but some people like to, and they're far easier to > slice). Remove any wrapping; slice with a large, sharp, straight-edged > knife. > > Serving Info.: > Makes 4 apples > > Comments: > These look stunning when they are finished, even without a lot of > decoration, though you could certainly add that if you wish. People are > crazy about them, too; they make nice holiday gifts, and they'd be super for > a Halloween party. > > These take patience and time. They are not ideal for beginners. You'll need > four crisp-textured apples - they must be firm, unbruised, and with stems. > You'll also need store-bought, individually wrapped caramels, which must be > soft and fresh, and parchment paper. For the chocolate, you can use milk, > semisweet, or a combination. These must be stored in the refrigerator. > Ideally they should be consumed within 3 or 4 days. You must cut these to > serve them! > > > My Pictures of Aromatic Plants and Exotic Places In Turkey > http://members.home.net/chrisziggy1/triptoturkey.html > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 16, 2001 Report Share Posted September 16, 2001 > My word she goes to a lot of work! Doesn't she?!? *LOL* > I make these apples every year (I > make around 50 for our Halloween party), and I do not go to nearly this > much work! > Me suspects she watches too much Martha Thanks for the great recipe below Sose Its cool and cloudy here today, I just planted some mums, and it feels very autumnal today in all ways! *Smile* Chris http://www.alittleolfactory.com > Here is my recipe for quick easy and delicious apples. > > Fresh, hard apples. Don't ever refrigerate them! > Caramels melts! (here is the important part, get candy caramel melts at > a candy store or craft store, or order them off the internet) > Chocolate melts (same important thing) > Whole nuts (cheaper than chopped, just stick them in the blender or food > processor) > Bamboo skewers > > Wash the apples. Dry them off and set them on a towel. Poke a skewer > down into each apple about 3/4s of the way through. If you get skinny > skewers, tape three together first then poke. Dry off excess apple > juice. > > Put caramel melts into a bowl and stick in microwave. Microwave for 30 > sec intervals stirring between until smooth. Dip and roll apples in > caramel. Pull out of bowl and twirl above to quick set the caramel and > create an even coating. Re-microwave if it gets to thick. Let set on > counter for two hours or in fridge for 30 min. Melt chocolate melts in > microwave. Chop nuts in food processor, put in bowl. Dip and roll apples > in chocolate and twirl above bowl, roll in nuts. Set for two hours room > temp, 30 min in fridge. > > It is important to put them on parchment paper, it is the only thing I > know of that caramel does not glue to. You can get it at the same place > you get the candy melts. > > Making fifty of these takes me about two hours (and an hour of that is > in the fridge time). > > When all done I wrap in colored cellophane and tie with twisty ties then > smack a ribbon on. > > If you are feeling creative, you can turn them into jack-o-lantern's by > using raisins to stick in the eyes, nose, and mouth before dipping in > nuts. Or just put in the raisins, or just put raisins in caramel. You > can also buy white candy melts and add coloring. One year I made a small > set that was dipped in white chocolate colored orange with green candy > leaves on top (I only made eight of these, since I had to make leaves). > > Blessings, > Soseneda > > Quidquid Latine dictum sit, altum videtur. > ICQ# 47264444 > AIM: SosenedaA > : Soseneda_Arianrhod > > Looking for herbs and other witchy supplies? > Many wonderful handmade items from Twining Vines available at The Town > Market TheTownMarket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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