Christmas Ornament Caramel Apples

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I love to make homemade goodies for my friends and family at Christmastime and this year I though it would be fun to make some caramel apples. Caramel apples seem more Halloween and Thanksgiving to me, so I thought it would be fun to make the caramel apples look like Christmas Ornaments and I am very pleased with how they turned out.

The recipe to make these was provided to my sister Christy by her friend Kathy and was used with her permission. This homemade caramel recipe is so good!! The apples turn out just like the ones you would buy in the fancy candy shops. YUM! Seriously, you have to give them a try!

Here are all the details, so you can make some of your own.

Supplies for Caramel Apples:

6 jumbo size Apples (unwaxed)
1 cup Butter
2 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
1 cup Light Corn Syrup
1 can of Sweetened Condenced Milk
Dash of Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Quality red food coloring ( the better quality the less flavor it will add to the food)
Candy Thermometer
Wooden Sticks
Cookie Sheet with butter on it to prevent applies from sticking

Step 1 – Making the Caramel Apples

Melt Butter in sauce pan on medium heat, add a touch of salt and add brown sugar. After sugar is disolved, add Corn Syrup, stir and mix until combined well, then add the can of Sweetened Condenced Milk. Bring to bowl and stir to prevent scorching. Clip candy thermometer to side of pan and bring to soft ball stage (about 30 minutes) when you reach temp add a good amount of red food coloring to give it a red color and add vanilla.

Dip UNWAXED Apples with stick inserting in them in to caramel and let drip over sauce pan for a few seconds, then place on buttered cookie sheet to prevent apples from sticking. Do not use waxed paper, they will stick. Let them cool. If you apples are waxed, dip them in pot of boiling water quickly and wipe the wax off with a towel.

Suggested Supplies for decorating:

Rolos (For top of Caramel apple)
Icing
Melting chocolate
Candy and sprinkles to decorate
Wilton disposable frosting tubes
Wilton Basic Cake Decorating Set

Step 2- Decorate

Insert a stick at the other end of the Apple and place over a bowl for easy decorating.

If you are using the melting chocolate you can add a few chips to the Wilton’s decor bags and microwave for 30 seconds at a time, when all chips are melted cut off tip and squeeze out the chocolate onto the Apple, finish off with sprinkles or candy.

Step 3 – Add top of Ornament (Rolo)

Take one of you wooden sticks and poke a hole though the Rolo going through the top first. Pull the stick out and place them in the freezer for 15 min. The short time in the freezer will help keep the Rolo together when you add it to the finished apples. Your last step is to add the Rolo to the top of the Apple.