Caramel Apples – Daddy Style!
by: Robert Nickell
Halloween should be fun for everyone; adults, teens,
and kids alike can all participate in this holiday by dressing up in crazy
costumes and eating a bunch tasty junk food.
And it just so happens that Halloween is a family favorite in
the Mr. Daddy household.
One Halloween tradition we never skip is making homemade
caramel apples. The key here – is that EVERYONE contributes - my older kids and
younger kids too. And Mrs. Daddy loves
the tradition because it’s a great way to get the kids to eat apples – even if
they are covered in sugary caramel!
Note: These aren’t your ordinary caramel apples they’re
caramel apples – daddy style!
The ingredients are pretty simple:
- ·
Granny
Smith Apples – get enough so that everyone can make one of their very own
and then a few extras to munch on later. My wife likes to make extras to share
with friends and neighbors too.
- ·
Wooden
Sticks – you can find these at a craft store, and some markets have them
too. You’ll need a stick for every apple.
- ·
Individually
Wrapped Caramels – one 14-ounce package is enough for about six apples. Be
careful not to eat too many while you’re unwrapping! You can also make your own
caramel from scratch if you’re brave enough!
- ·
Water
– you’ll need 2 tablespoons per package of caramels.
- ·
Vanilla
Extract – ½ a teaspoon per 14-ounce bag of caramels.
- ·
A few
bags of random Halloween candy (butterfingers, twix, kit-kat and m&m’s
all work well)
What you do next:
- ·
The first step requires a bit of finesse. Insert
the wooden sticks about ¾ of the way into the stem end of each apple (this is
the hardest part, I promise).
- ·
Unwrap the caramels and set them aside in a
dish.
- ·
Unwrap the Halloween candies, crunch them up and
mix them all together in a bowl. Set the bowl aside.
- ·
Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and
lightly grease.
- ·
Combine the unwrapped caramels and water in a
saucepan over low heat.
- ·
Stir often until the caramel melts into a smooth
texture.
- ·
Mix in the vanilla extract.
- ·
Dip each apple into the caramel and scrape the
excess off the bottom with a spatula.
- ·
While the caramel is still warm and wet, put the
caramel apple into the bowl of candy goodness and press it against all sides.
- ·
Place your caramel/candy covered apple onto the
lightly greased and tinfoil covered cookie sheet.
- ·
Chill for about a half hour and eat!
These treats are fun to make and fun to eat. Once they are
finished cooling, you can slice the apple around the core or eat it off the
stick! Warning: Eating more than two in one sitting can cause stomach upset!
Stay tuned next month for another great family recipe that
will have your kiddos gobbling like turkeys! Sincerely, Mr. Daddy
Robert Nickell, aka Mr. Daddy, father of 6,
founder of Daddyscrubs.com, delivery room duds for
dads, and the Daddyscrubs blog where he covers topics about parenting and the
latest baby and kids gear, all from a Dad’s perspective.
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