Today is Halloween, and what better way to treat your kids (or yourself!) than with homemade caramelised apples? This fun and easy recipe will help you whip up these deliciously spooky delights in no time.

Ingredients 

• 6 medium-sized apples
• 6 wooden sticks (popsicle sticks or skewers work perfectly)
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• ½ cup of unsalted butter
• ½ cup of heavy cream
• ¼ cup of corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt
• Optional toppings: Chopped nuts, sprinkles, chocolate drizzle, or crushed cookies

Method

1. Make sure your apples are washed and dried. Remove the stems and push a wooden stick into the centre of each one. This will serve as your handle for dipping.
2. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup, and heavy cream. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then increase the heat slightly to bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Keep stirring so the caramel doesn’t burn. Once it reaches a rich golden colour (usually around 8-10 minutes), remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
4. Hold the apples by the stick and carefully dip them into the caramel, turning them to ensure even coverage. Let the excess caramel drip off before placing the apples on a parchment-lined tray. Roll the apples in chopped nuts, sprinkles, or other toppings.
5. Allow the caramel-coated apples to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until the caramel hardens and the apples are ready to eat. If you’re in a rush, pop them in the fridge to speed things up.

Tips for Spooky Success

• While Granny Smith apples are a classic choice because of their tartness, you can mix it up with sweeter varieties like Honeycrisp or Fuji.
• After dipping, you can drizzle your caramel apples with melted chocolate, and then add edible googly eyes for a fun monster look. You could even use black liquorice for a spider legs effect.
• Sprinkle edible glitter over the caramel while it’s still soft.