Rainbow candy apples
Instructions:
- 4 wooden craft or lollipop sticks
- 4 small very red McIntosh, Cortland or Empire apples, rinsed and dried, stems removed
- *1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1/8 teaspoon red food coloring
- *Optional Coating:Dried unsweetened coconut flakes (in health-food stores)
- * For yellow candy apples, use Golden Delicious apples and yellow food coloring. For green candy apples, use Granny Smith and green food coloring.
- To avoid sugar-syrup burns, wear rubber gloves when dipping the apples.
- Insert stick into center of stem end of each apple.
- Line baking sheet with nonstick liner or aluminum foil.
- In 2-quart heavy saucepan, combine sugar, the water and corn syrup.
- Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, swirling pan occasionally.
- Increase heat to medium-high; bring mixture to a boil.
- Attach candy thermometer to side of saucepan.
- Boil mixture until temperature registers 300 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove syrup from heat. Swirl in food coloring, tilting saucepan, until blended.
- Holding apple by stick and tilting pan, swirl each apple in syrup until coated all over.
- Lift apple and gently twirl over saucepan, letting excess drip back into pan. (If coating in coconut, sprinkle apple with coconut.)
- Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining apples.
- Let apples stand at room temperature 1 hour or until coating hardens.
- Per serving: Makes 4 apples.