We knew if we went to Mrs. Payne’s house, she would always have candy apples to put in our trick-or-treat bags. In fact, we would go in to her dining room and walk over to her dining room table where all the bright red candy apples glistened on the table. We carefully chose the apple we wanted and always said, “Thank you!” when we left. Mrs. Payne was the favorite house in the neighborhood.
Candy apples are synonymous with fall and Halloween from those days until the high school football games when some “pep mom” always made those delicious apples to sell in the concession stand at the Fall football games. I attended a junior-senior high school, so from 7th grade on, we looked forward to the fall candy apples on Friday nights. There is just something about a candy apple that reminds us of Halloween and fall.
Apples in Autumn
For one thing, apples are harvested in late summer and early fall. We have an apple orchard just to the north of here in Weston, Missouri. When the apples are ready to pick, this lets us know Fall is not far behind. All over the country according to the legend of Johnny Appleseed, there are apple trees planted everywhere for people to enjoy.
Johnny Appleseed
Johnny Appleseed’s name was actually John Chapman and he was an American pioneer nurseryman. He introduced apple trees to large parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Ontario, and Illinois, as well as the northern counties of present-day West Virginia. John Chapman did become an American legend while still alive and earned his name, Johnny Appleseed and a reputation in conservation.
Candy Apples Now
Much credit should be given to Johnny Appleseed for the American love for apples. Candy Apples can still be found in stores and specialty shops, usually in the Fall, but there truly is nothing better than a candy apple made at home. Before reading on to the recipe, please note, making candy apples takes practice. Only after trying myself, did I truly appreciate Mrs. Payne and the concession stand mom. My first candy apples were not spectacular. The candy didn’t form correctly and was melty. So, don’t be hard on yourself if they are not perfect the first time. And kudos to you if they are!
Recipe for Candy apples courtesy of Kelly Senyei on Pinterest
Ingredients
- 12 small red or green apples
- 12 lollipop or popsicle sticks
- 3 cups sugar
- ½ cup corn syrup
- ½ tablespoon red food coloring
- Candy thermometer
Wash and thoroughly dry the apples. Insert the lollipop sticks or popsicle sticks so that they are firmly positioned in the apples. Set the apples aside on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper coated with cooking spray.
Combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a boil and cook the mixture until a candy thermometer reaches 300ºF (the hard crack stage).
Remove the candy mixture from the heat and carefully stir in the red food coloring. (It may splash, so stand back. And you may have to add more than the designated 1/2 teaspoon, depending on the quality and strength of your food coloring.)
One by one, carefully dip the apples into the candy mixture, swirling to coat them thoroughly and allowing any excess to drip back into the pan. Transfer the coated apples to the prepared cookie sheet and allow them to cool until the candy has fully hardened.
In my defense, I didn’t have Pinterest when I tried to make candy apples, so hopefully you will have more success. Now that you’ve made your Halloween/Fall candy apples, good luck eating them!
