Nothing says autumn like a sweet, juicy toffee apple (aka caramel apple if you’re in the US). My mouth waters when the air gets a chill, leading me to think of that perfect combination of fresh fruit and sticky caramel that drips down your chin no matter how carefully you eat it. Toffee apples are an essential for us for bonfire night, and are great for Halloween too.
For Halloween, caramel apples can take on a spooky edge and these Crunchy Maple Toffee Apples do not disappoint. Just looking at them, it’s easy to imagine them as that perfect poison apple some crafty witch is tricking you into eating. The reddish brown color is accented with crunchy bits to tickle your taste buds and the whole delicious apple gets skewered onto cleaned rustic branches. Clipping the branches so they look like a nice thorny stem is a lovely bonus touch, don’t you think?
These Crunchy Maple Toffee Apples look so convincing, you might be just a little afraid to eat one. But take a bite! What would Halloween be without just a touch of light-hearted fear?
- Preparation time:15 minutes, plus cooling
- Cooking time:15 minutes
- Makes: 8
Crunchy Maple Toffee Apple Ingredients
8 small eating apples (such as Cox)
400g caster sugar
150ml apple juice
100ml maple syrup
1 tsp cider vinegar
150g LOVE Life Berry & Nut Sprinkle, roughly chopped
You will also need
8 cake pop sticks (available from John Lewis), or strong twigs wrapped with baking parchment at one end
Method: How to make toffee apples
Wash the apples and dry thoroughly with kitchen paper. Remove the stalks and push a lollipop stick about halfway into each apple in their place. Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
Pour the sugar into a large, heavy- based pan and warm over a low heat until dissolved. Carefully add the apple juice, maple syrup and vinegar and stir. Increase the heat, bring to the boil and cook for 7–8 minutes until the toffee reaches 140°C. To check, use a sugar thermometer or drop a small spoonful into a bowl of cold water — the toffee should set instantly.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the sprinkle mix. Dip each apple into the toffee, let any excess drip back into the pan then place on the baking tray. Repeat with the remaining apples. Leave to cool completely.
Enjoy!
If you have plenty more apples, why not check out some of these delicious apple recipes too!
More Autumn Recipes
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Chocolate Halloween Spider Web Cake
Roast Butternut Squash, Sage and Goat’s Cheese Soup
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Recipe and image credit: Waitrose / Waitrose Kitchen. Image credit: Candy apples ready for dipping Shutterstock
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.