Every week, baking expert Alice Medrich is going rogue on Food52 -- with shortcuts, hacks, and game-changing recipes.
Today: Double dipping is allowed -- in chocolate and caramel, that is.
Homemade vanilla caramel, apples from the farmers market, and good chocolate raise the status of this old-fashioned Halloween treat -- you’ll want to slice these into wedges and serve them at the table. And they are gorgeous.
Choose apples that you love, but sample first: The flavor and texture of apples change from week to week in season, and there is no point in making caramel and investing in chocolate unless you start with great apples. I go for juicy apples with a good balance of sweet and tart, such as Braeburns, Jonathans, and Pink Ladys, but I keep an eye out for unfamiliar vintage apples to try. There is no need to temper the chocolate for this recipe so long as you store the apples in the refrigerator, which keeps them firm and fresh anyhow.
Makes 6 to 8 apples
2 cups (400 grams) sugar
3/4 cup (235 grams) light corn syrup
1/4 cup (85 grams) honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, softened and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 to 8 small to medium apples, cold
1 pound (455 grams) chocolate, coarsely chopped
5 to 6 ounces (140 to 170 grams) chopped toasted nuts (optional)
Equipment:
Candy thermometer
Long-handled silicone spatula or wooden spoon
6 to 8 popsicle sticks
See the full recipe (and save it and print it) here.
Get excited about Alice's forthcoming book Flavor Flours: nearly 125 recipes -- from Double Oatmeal Cookies to Buckwheat Gingerbread -- made with wheat flour alternatives like rice flour, oat flour, corn flour, sorghum flour, and teff (not only because they're gluten-free, but for an extra dimension of flavor, too).
Photo by Alpha Smoot
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