Candy Apple Recipe

A layer of chewy blue raspberry candy coats a crisp, tart apple in this old-fashioned favorite, Red White & Blue Candy Apples.

Red White & Blue Candy Apples at cetcu.com

pinterest-image

If you follow me on twitter or facebook, you probably saw all my hints and teases all weekend about “what am I making”.

I don’t remember how it happened really, but one day while stumbling around on the internet I ran into Blue Raspberry Candy Apple Magic Mix. The instant I saw it I knew I had to make some Red White and Blue Candy Apples for 4th of July!

I’m a big fan of caramel apples and candy apples. Most of the time I only get them in the fall when I see those cute little Happy Apples all over my grocery store. I’ve never made candy apples before, I thought how hard could it be!

HA!……well, let me tell you, it’s NOT hard if you have the correct directions and a little information.

My first attempt was failure. I hung my head as tears rolled down my cheeks. My apples LOOKED pretty. They looked as good as I had envisioned.

Only one problem………the candy coating was ROCK hard! like a sucker! You couldn’t even cut it with a knife, much less bite in with your teeth.

So I crawled in to bed defeated, I tossed and turned all night, wondering why my apples didn’t turn out….was the “magic” that it turns your apple to a sucker? 🙁 couldn’t be.

Red white and blue candy apples

Day 2 I got up determined to give it another try.

After speaking to my friend Cindy, I discovered the package directions suggest heating your candy mixture to 300°, will yield candy like a sucker. She suggested I try 250°. …………..and guess what?! THAT was it!!!! I had a nice caramel/taffy consistency on my apples!

candy apples

HOW TO MAKE CANDY APPLES

Supplies for Blue Candy Apples

(click items to find them online)

Apples – I used Granny Smith, but any firm tart apple will work.

Blue Raspberry Candy Apple Magic Mix **NOTE** do NOT follow temperature directions on package for cooking, unless you want a hard candy coating

Sugar & water (per instructions on bag)

Candy Thermometer

Large pot for making candy coating

wooden spoon for stirring

Candy Apple Sticks

5″ x 5″ clear cellophane sheets

Red Twisty Ties

Sprinkles

2 small bowls for sprinkles

baking sheet pan to place covered apples on

Wax paper

Non-Stick cooking spray

Prepare your apples and kitchen/supplies:

Wash and dry apples and remove stems

insert sticks in apples

Line baking sheet with waxed paper and spray heavily with non-stick spay (you will place coated apples on this)

Pour Sprinkles into one bowl. (leave one bowl empty)

DIRECTIONS

one bag of Candy Apple Magic can coat up to 100 apples – so I only used 1/2 of the package.

Combine 1/2 package of Blue Raspberry Candy Apple Mix with 2.5 pounds granulated sugar and 1 cup water in large sauce pan over medium heat stirring until sugar is dissolved

Place candy thermometer on pan (not touching bottom of pan)

Increase heat to medium high heat, do NOT stir and cook until candy thermometer reaches exactly 250° F. This took about 15 mins, but can be different according to your stove, so watch carefully. (NOTE: the package say 300° you do NOT want to cook to 300° or your candy will be too hard)

When temp reaches 250° remove pan from heat and dip apples working quickly. * BE VERY CAREFUL candy coating is very hot and will burn your skin

I sprinkled each apple right after dipping – I held the freshly dipped apple over an empty bowl while showering with sprinkles. (I had to work very quickly, as they did not want to stick well )

Place on lined & greased pan and continue with rest of the apples.

Place in refrigerator to cool.

Once your apples have cooled, you can eat and enjoy! Make sure to eat them within three days of making them, and I would recommend storing in the refrigerator. We left ours out over night in the air conditioned house and they melted quite a bit.

If you’d like to give some as gifts or party favors, cover in cellophane and tie off with a pretty ribbon or red twisty tie.

Red White and Blue Candy Apples