welcome to the new and improved kumquat!
i’m so grateful for all of the hard work the ladies at wooden spoons kitchen have kindly and laboriously put into this site.
it is still slightly a work in progress, with a little left to do behind the scenes on my part, but overall we’re back up and running. and lovelier than ever, i think.
to celebrate, i’ve made one of my very favorites… caramel apples.
this past weekend my sweet little family headed out to a apple orchard turned pumpkin festival and kiddo carnival. the weather has been unreal, so it was the kind of weekend you don’t want to be inside and perfect for a fall festival. the kids got to ride horses (my daughter was in LOVE), do a twirl around the carousel, run through a corn maze, and pick out pumpkins. and there were wine slushies for us grown-ups, thank you. the orchard-grown honeycrisp apples were ready, which thrilled me more than the wine slushies. (have you had a honeycrisp?! they are the best apple in the entirety of the world. please love yourself and eat them.)
when i was growing up, during the holidays we would buy the most amazing apples from neiman marcus. i swear those suckers weighed 10 pounds each. coated and covered in the most amazing caramels, chocolate, marshmallows, nuts… heaven. those times instilled in me a love of caramel apples. not just dipped, but coated in all sorts of delicious things. requiring you to cut a slice out in order to eat it. no chance of holding these babies by the stick and taking a bite. this one requires utensils.
no apple more worthy than the orchard fresh honeycrisps we picked up on sunday. what a great way to celebrate…
peanut butter-caramel dark chocolate apples
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce package caramels*
- 5 tablespoons corn syrup
- 4 tablespoon peanut butter
- popsicle sticks wooden skewers, or caramel apple sticks
- 5-7 honeycrisp apples
- 1 12-ounce package dark chocolate chips
- chocolate jimmies
- *i used Brach's brand caramels. they tend to be a firmer caramel. if you use a softer caramel use less corn syrup. if mixture is too stiff, use a bit more corn syrup to thin.
Instructions
- Remove wrappers from caramels (if needed.) Combine caramels, corn syrup and peanut butter in a small saucepan. Heat over low-medium heat until melted and combined.
- Insert stick/skewer into apple. Dip apple into caramel, spooning mixture all over apple to coat; carefully shake off excess. Place apple on a baking sheet lined with cooking spray-coated parchment paper. Chill 20 minutes or until set.
- Melt about 9 ounces dark chocolate chips in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate chips; stir until melted.
- Dip caramel-coated apple into dark chocolate, spooning chocolate all over apple to coat; carefully shake off excess. Sprinkle bottom half with chocolate jimmies, if desired. Return apple to baking sheet and chill 10 minutes or until chocolate is set.
- Store at room temperature or in fridge. If chilled, allow to return to room temperature before eating.
