Halloween Fun & Caramel Apples

Host the perfect Halloween Party with pumpkin carving, pumpkin painting, and caramel apples!

Am I a crafter, baker, or a mess-maker?   Nope, nada, can’t say that I am.  So, a challenge to host an ooey-gooey Halloween Party for my children and friends?  That’s frightening.  I love a good party, it’s just the paint and homemade caramel, and pumpkin guts… all over my kitchen that scares me!

Want to host your own Halloween Party?  Follow these simple steps for a party to remember.

First get your supplies for pumpkin carving and painting.  We used tempera paints, jiggly eyes, foam stickers, pipe cleaners, and feathers.

We had the traditional pumpkin carving tools and stencils.  I also set out a bucket to collect the seeds and a trash can for the pumpkin innards.

Things got messy…

But, in a good way!   Look how earnestly they’re working on their pumpkins.  So cute!

Because I hadn’t had a real caramel apple since I was a kid, I thought this would be the perfect time to serve up this classic fall treat.  I mean, we were already making a huge mess.  What’s a little more.

What I didn’t count on was burning my first batch of caramel.  #ohwell

Just note:  STIR THE CARAMEL CONSTANTLY, once it comes to a boil!  Kinda important.  Unless you like burned caramel.  🙂

Once I perfected my caramel making skills, I poured it into a pumpkin tureen so guests could dip their apples in the caramel and coat with chocolate and nuts.  (The caramel was also uh-maze-ing served as a dip with pretzels.  Just sayin’.)

If you haven’t had a caramel apple in a while, now’s the time.  They were soooo good.

Isn’t that terrifying????

I mean, as a parent, that’s about the most frightening thing I’ve seen in awhile!  Frightening, and stinkin’ cute.

 

Caramel Apples

Yield: 12

Print

Ingredients

• 12 Small Granny Smith Apples
• 1 cup of unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1 cup of corn syrup
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tbsp. heavy cream
• Nuts and mini chocolate chips
• 12 popsicle stucks or wooden dowels
• parchment paper
• candy thermometer

Instructions

1. Wash apples with hot water and dry completely. Turn the apple upside down and press the popsicle stick into the apple. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a heavy sauce pan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Whisk in the brown sugar, corn syrup, salt and sweetened condensed milk.
3. Once the caramel comes to a full rolling boil, whisk it constantly until it reaches the soft ball stage (234 degrees).
4. Remove the caramel from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and heavy cream. Place the pan on a hot pad and let it cool down for three minutes.
5. Tip the pan and hold it on an angle. Then dip the apple in the caramel and twist it slowly to coat the apple completely.
6. Let the excess caramel drop off of the apple. Roll the apple in candy of your choice and place it on the parchment paper for 5 to 10 minutes or until the caramel sets up.