Caramel Apples

My son goes apple picking with his school every year. He usually comes home with a huge bag of lovely sour apples, perfect for baking and caramel apples. I usually make caramel apples and then some sort of pie. A couple of my favorites are Apple Pie Cake and Apple Tarte Tatin. However, my boys said they made Apple Betty at school and they want to make it at home so we may try that. My little Brody loves apples but thinks caramel apples are disgusting. I didn't think I would ever meet a child who didn't love a caramel but some how I gave birth to one. This time we tried rolling them in M & M's. The professionals make it looks so easy and as you can see by the one closest to you, the rolling wasn't successful. So we decided to place them on the second one. Live and learn has always been my motto. 

I have made my own caramel in the past and have to say I haven't had the best results from it. This version is much easier to do with kids and we all think they taste just as good as any caramel apple I have every purchased at the fair. Try them and let me know what you think. 

Ingredients

I  11 oz bag caramel bits

5 medium apples

2 tablespoons water

5 wooden sticks. (I use the chop sticks from takeout that I never used)

1 cup mini M&Ms (optional)

3 - 4 tablespoons sugar (super fine if you have it)

Directions

Clean each apple and dry completely. Place one stick through the core of each apple. Set up a pan with a piece of parchment paper. Add sugar on top so the caramel doesn't stick. 

Place caramel bits in a small/medium bowl. I don't like the bowl to be to big because it spreads out too much and then you have a harder time using up all the caramel. Add 2 tablespoons of water and microwave for 2 minutes on high. 

Stir the mixture together until all the caramel is completely melted and smooth. Take each apple and spoon the caramel over the apple starting at the top and let the remainder drip to the bottom. I dip each apple in the caramel to coat the bottom. Then you place is on the pan with parchment and sugar to sit. You can then add a topping if you want. We added mini M&M's this time and it was a huge hit but next time I think I will also try crushed up oreo's or even mini chocolate chips. 

Once you have finished all 5 apples put them in the refrigerator for one hour. I make them before dinner so they are good and ready for dessert. 

This is a fun easy treat that your kids will remember for a life time. Unless your child is like my Brody. We keep hoping his taste will change and he will enjoy them with us. He used to hate popcorn but not anymore.