Honey Vanilla Caramel Apples

Photo from Rachael Ray Magazine We've been studying Greek and Roman mythology, Sailor and I. She's quite smitten with the ancient world, thanks to this series. This week, we read about Perseus and his bold quest for the head of Medusa. The maidens that guard the golden apples tell Perseus where to find the snake headed beast, but first they sing him a song about golden apples. Their poem compares the apple tree to the passage of time and to the joys and sorrows of life.


We sing of the old, we sing of the new-
Our joys are many our sorrows are few;
Singing, dancing
All hearts entrancing,
We wait to welcome the good and true.


The daylight is waning, the evening is here,
The sun will soon set, the stars will appear,
Singing, dancing,
All hearts entrancing,
We wait for the dawn of a glad new year.


The tree shall wither, the apples shall fall,
Sorrow shall come, and death shall call,
Alarming, grieving,
All hearts deceiving,
But hope shall abide to comfort us all.


Soon the tale shall be told, the song shall be sung,
The bow shall be broken, the harp unstrung,
Alarming, grieving,
All hearts deceiving,
Till every joy to the winds shall be flung.

But a new tree shall spring, from the leaves of the old,
And many a blossom its leaves shall unfold,
Cheering, gladdening,
With joy maddening,
For its boughs shall be laden with apples of gold.

What was true in the ancient world is true in the moden world. Readers, I hope that your joys are many and your sorrows are few, but either way, here are some delicious caramel apples to entrance the heart and enliven the palate. May all of your boughs be laden with apples of gold.

Honey Vanilla Caramel Apples from the September Issue of Rachael Ray Magazine

Estimated Cost: $4.o0 for six

Notes: Be sure to use a big pot, since the syrup foams up at first. Green apples are just as yummy as the red, so use a combo, if you like.
4 medium red apples, such as braeburn, cortland or fuji, chilled
Ice water
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
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° 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 it’s 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.

Next Up:

Fall is Coming Tamale Pie

Caramel Apple Wedges

It's taken me 10 days to crank out all the recipes for my Fall Kick Off Dinner, ending here with Caramel Apple Wedges. The truth is, the temperatures around here in the Southwest are still over 90 degrees, so I could kick off Fall again in a month or two and still be in good shape, and maybe even have a crunchy yellow leaf or two to join in the celebration. In the meantime, dog gone it, if the calendar says its Fall, then I'm eating for Fall, even if Mother Nature is still wearing her string bikini.
Speaking of clothes, I need your help too. I'm looking for a straight, knee length-ish denim skirt. Something I could wear with high boots and a sweater to a School Board meeting, or with flip flops and a hoodie to the grocery store. Something I could cram in a suitcase and roam the streets of Rome in. Really truly-I'm going in a month from today. I know you are all cute and fashionable, so help me out before I turn into a groovy housefrau.
And still speaking of clothes, did I mention that my daughter will only wear dresses? Even on a field trip to the Farm? I buy her one pair of jeans each year, hopeful that she'll wear them on a hike, or to dig in a sandbox, or rake some leaves, or to kick a ball around in...and then the next year I give them away to a cousin with the pricetag still on them. And to think when I was her age, I wore Toughskins and had a Dorothy Hammill haircut. You really don't want to see the pictures. I'll show you her instead. And my little cowboy, too.
Where is all this chatter going? Let's get to the recipe for today: Caramel Apple Wedges. I love homemade caramel, and I love crispy apples, but when I see a big giant decorated caramel apple, it seems like an awful big commitment. All I really want is a brief love affair, a bite or two and then I'll be on my way. So I make caramel apple wedges instead. You've got to be ready to eat them quickly, since they don't store well but, golly gee whitaker, they are cute and with homemade caramel and a little sprinkle of Reese's pieces or peanuts, they're just the bite I'm looking for. Happy First Day of October.
Money Saving Tips: Making your own caramel is inexpensive. Use condensed milk for a slightly sweeter and cheaper version. Again, almost any apple is good here. I used Golden Delicious.
Caramel Apple Wedges:
Estimated Cost: $2.00 for 16 wedges
2 apples, cored, with skin, cut into 8 wedges each,
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon corn starch
For Caramel:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk or cream
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla
Pat apples dry with paper towels. Sift a tiny smidgen of cornstarch over cut side of apples to help absorb moisture. You don't want to taste it, so don't put too much. Set aside briefly. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper and coat with no stick cooking spray.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients, except vanilla and apples. Stir until mixture boils. Reduce heat, cover with lid and cook for about five minutes, watching closely. When mixture has come together and is caramel colored, remove from heat. Spoon sa bit of caramel over each wedge. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, Reese's pieces, or whatever you desire, and place on prepared waxed paper. Eat them gooey, or store in the fridge for about 10 minutes and eat immediately after.
Coming Tomorrow:
Caramelized Onion, Brie, and Pear Crostini