It wouldn’t be Halloween or Bonfire night without toffee apples 🙂 They are sweet and delicious and actually quite easy to make. Take a look at my video and tips for foolproof toffee and candy apples. This post is sponsored by Thermapen.
Call me the toffee apple expert. I have made batches and batches of toffee apples and candy apples in order to put together this post and video, so I feel I have earned the badge. And the good news is, you can learn from my mistakes and toffee apple flops.
Toffee apples are made with sugar, water, golden syrup, butter and apples of course. Candy apples on the other hand need sugar, water, corn syrup, food colouring and, yes, apples. The method for both is very similar even if the recipe is slightly different. By the away, golden syrup appears to be a UK only ingredient. You can substitute with corn syrup or perhaps half corn syrup half honey.
The one essential for guaranteed success is a proper digital thermometer, which is why my Thermapen has been totally invaluable. It will help you determine when your caramel reaches the soft crack stage ( 132° C–143° C / 270° F–290° F) which is optimum temperature for toffee/candy apples.
But a Thermapen is useful in so many recipes – I am sure you have seen the bakers on the Great British Bake Off use it quite a lot this season. It takes the guess work out of cooking meat and poultry as well – it will get lots of use during the festive season! Take a look at the recipe video for a (speeded up) demo on how to make this recipe.
Toffee apple troubleshooting
You would think that, once you have your Thermapen, the rest is easy as pie, right? Not quite. I still had a few mishaps which are easily avoidable.
- Make sure your apples are clean, completely dry and at room temperature. I used cold apples in one of my batches and the toffee simply slid off! Give your apples a quick rinse and dry them thoroughly before using.
- You can use lolly sticks or short skewers or sticks for your candy apples. The sticks are probably a food blogger affectation, I will totally admit that. But if you do use sticks, make sure you get them from a tree or bush and not from the ground. I rinsed mine in boiling water and let them air dry before using.
- Use a small deep pot for your caramel – this way you will be able to dip the apples more easily. I used quite a wide pot in my video which mean the caramel hardened before I had a chance to dip all my apples.
- Stick close to your stove. If the caramel starts to set you can easily melt it again over low heat. Your caramel will take several minutes to reach the soft crack stage and I found that it takes less time on an induction hob compared to a gas hob.
- Dip your apples carefully into the toffee and twist them slowly until completely covered. Do not remove the apple too fast or air bubbles will form.
- Moisture is the enemy. Even if your apples are perfect, they will soon start to degrade if there’s moisture in the air. It would be best to eat your apples soon after you make them. Alternatively keep them in an airtight container at room temperature (definitely not in the fridge).
- You can tint your candy apples any colour you like – use heat safe food colouring that comes in gel or paste.
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- For the toffee apples
- 6 small wooden ice lolly sticks
- 6 small apples
- 220 g | 1 cup sugar
- 110 ml | scant 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp golden syrup or corn syrup
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- <br>
- Red candy apples
- 5 small wooden ice lolly sticks
- 5 medium apples
- 440 g | 2 cups sugar
- 240 ml | 1 cup water
- 75 g | 1/4 cup corn syrup or glucose syrup
- paste red food colouring I used Sugarflair in Christmas Red
- For the toffee apples. Line a large tray with greaseproof paper.
- Wash the apples under cold water and leave to air dry on a wire rack. Pat dry with kitchen towel but do not rub.
- Twist the stalks and remove. Push a stick 3/4 of the way through, making sure it is secure.
- Put the sugar and water in a deep narrow pot. Dissolve over gentle heat and then add the golden syrup and butter.
- Bring to the boil and continue to boil without stirring until the temperature reads 132° C–143° C / 270° F–290° F on your digital thermometer.
- Turn the heat off and wait until the bubbles subside. Carefully tilt the pan to the side and then dip an apple into the toffee, gently twisting until it is completely coated.
- Remove gently and twist until excess caramel drips into the pot. Place onto the prepare tray. Leave to harden. Continue until all the toffee is used up.
- For the candy apples. Line a large tray with greaseproof paper.
- Wash the apples under cold water and leave to air dry on a wire rack. Pat dry with kitchen towel but do not rub.
- Twist the stalks and remove. Push a stick 3/4 of the way through, making sure it is secure.
- Stir sugar, water, corn syrup and food colouring in a deep narrow pot.
- Dissolve over gentle heat and then bring to the boil.
- Continue to boil without stirring until the temperature reads 143° C / 290° F on your digital thermometer.
- Turn the heat off and wait until the bubbles subside. Carefully tilt the pan to the side and then dip an apple into the caramel, gently twisting until it is completely coated.
- Remove gently and twist until excess caramel drips into the pot.
- Place onto the prepare tray. Leave to harden and eat soon after. Continue dipping your apples until all the caramel is used up.
The apples are best eaten soon after they are made. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature until needed.
Sandy says
I made these, sticking to the letter of the recipe but the temp of 143 C is far, far too hot and the candy burned. The apples look great but will be impossible to eat I suspect: The coating is so thick and hard – if I ever try this again I’ll stop when the temp reaches 115 C – at least one can bite the apples then :-). Great recipe but temp far too hot. I used corn syrup and brown powdered sugar – maybe too treacly to begin with? I cut sticks from a mulberry tree – look fabulous.
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Sandy – I am sorry to hear your candy burned! I tested this recipe again and again (I made the apples 5 times!) and for me it worked between 132°C–143°C. Any less and the caramel was too runny. But I guess you have to experiment and see what works for you and the type of sugar you used as well. With white sugar I found the higher end of the temp worked better.
You may also find that the caramel continues to cook and harden once taken off heat. If that’s the case you could (carefully!) plunge the bottom of your pot in some cold water
Lauren says
These look so good. I love the sticks that you used!
Dannii says
I used to have a toffee apple every Halloween, but I have never made one myself. I have got to try this.
Jenni LeBaron says
These are really nice looking. I especially love the branches in the top as an alternative to popsicle sticks!
Lucy Parissi says
Well I simply had to – they do look a lot more food bloggy (is that a word?)
Rebecca | Let's Eat Cake says
These candied apples are so wonderfully spooky for Halloween! I love them and totally want to make them soon!
Denise says
They are beautiful! How fun were they to make? It looks like it would be fun!
Lucy Parissi says
Lots of fun! And very easy. Just make sure you eat them soon after as the caramel doesn’t last