Honey-Vanilla Caramel Apples
September 2010
Honeys got a knack for stickingarounda bottle can last years inyour pantry. So its easy to forgettheres a yearly harvest time for thesugary treat. (Psstthat time is now!)To celebrate, we grabbed the nearest bottleand boiled it down to make a rich, gooeycaramel coating for crisp fall apples.
Makes: 6 servings
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins
- 6 medium red apples, such as braeburn, cortland or fuji, chilled
- Ice water
- 1 1/2cups heavy cream
- 1/2teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2cups honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. Skewer each apple stem with a lollipop stick or thick bamboo skewer. Fill a large bowl one-quarter of the way with ice water.
- In a 4-quart, heavy saucepan, heat the cream and salt over medium-high heat until steaming hot. Stir in the honey and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to medium and continue to boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture registers 260 degrees on a candy thermometer, 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla. Place the pan in the ice water, stirring the caramel with a wooden spoon until its thick enough to coat the apples without running off, about 5 minutes. (If the caramel thickens too much, return the pan to medium heat and stir.)
- Wipe the chilled apples dry. Working with 1 at a time, hold the apple by the stick and dip into the caramel, tilting the saucepan and twirling the apple to coat all but a 1-inch border around the stem. Place the caramel apples on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving.