Alright.
You win.
After three years of email and requests for the recipe(and my promises…I know, I know) I have finally buckled down and posted it for you.
And to try and redeem myself for my slacker ways, how about a picture tutorial?
These purple apples would be great for your Halloween parties and events….you could even try subbing out the purple color with black for some extra spooky apples.
Any color works for these candy apples if you just remember to use the right shade of Apple: use yellow apples if you want to make a yellow or orange candy coating, green apples for blue, and red apples for red, purple or black.
For these purple apples I used little Jonathan apples that were light green with a bit of red.
Start by washing your apples, drying them, and removing the stems(twist until they snap off or use the tip of a paring knife to dig them out).
Insert wooden skewers(knobby sticks are also fun!) into the center of each apple.
Assemble ingredients. Make sure to have a small cup of water and a basting brush nearby. You’ll also want to have a sheet of parchment paper next to the stove to set your apples on after dipping.
Add the sugar, water, and corn syrup to a medium saucepan.
Add about 1/2 teaspoon of purple gel icing color to the pan and stir lightly.
Fix a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and turn the heat on to medium-high. While the mixture heats up and begins boiling, continuously brush down the sides of pan with water using the basting brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Do not stir the syrup once it has started to boil!
When the syrup reaches a temperature of 290 degrees F(143 C.), remove from the heat(remove the thermometer as well).
Working quickly, tilt the pan to the side to concentrate the syrup and dip each apple into the mixture, turning to coat all sides.
Hold the apple above the pan and let the excess syrup drip off for a few seconds.*Let the candy cool for 30 seconds and stir to break up the bubbles before dipping for a smoother finish.
Hold the apple upside down for a few seconds before placing on the parchment paper to help prevent excessive pooling of the candy.
Once the apples have hardened and cooled they are ready to eat!
*These are best served and eaten on the day they are made. The longer they sit, the more moisture will build up in the apple and the candy will eventually start to dissolve.
Puple Candied Apples with Tutorial
These Purple Candied Apples would be wonderful for a Halloween party or any occasion, for that matter. Dress them up with ribbons or fun paper straws instead of sticks.
Serves: Serves 12
Ingredients
- 2 C. Granulated Sugar
- ½ C. Light Corn Syrup
- ¾ C. Water
- ½ t. Gel Icing Color
- 12 small Apples
- Wooden skewers
Instructions
- Start by washing your apples, drying them, and removing the stems(twist until they snap off or use the tip of a paring knife to dig them out).
- Insert wooden skewers(knobby sticks are also fun!) into the center of each apple.
- Assemble ingredients. Make sure to have a small cup of water and a basting brush nearby. You'll also want to have a sheet of parchment paper next to the stove to set your apples on after dipping.
- Add the sugar, water, and corn syrup to a medium saucepan.
- Add about ½ teaspoon of purple gel icing color to the pan and stir lightly.
- Fix a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and turn the heat on to medium-high. While the mixture heats up and begins boiling, continuously brush down the sides of pan with water using the basting brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Do not stir the syrup once it has started to boil!
- When the syrup reaches a temperature of 290 degrees F(143 C.), remove from the heat(remove the thermometer as well).
- Working quickly, tilt the pan to the side to concentrate the syrup and dip each apple into the mixture, turning to coat all sides.
- Hold the apple above the pan and let the excess syrup drip off for a few seconds.*Let the candy cool for 30 seconds and stir to break up the bubbles before dipping for a smoother finish.
- Hold the apple upside down for a few seconds before placing on the parchment paper to help prevent excessive pooling of the candy.
- Once the apples have hardened and cooled they are ready to eat!
- *These are best served and eaten on the day they are made. The longer they sit, the more moisture will build up in the apple and the candy will eventually start to dissolve.
These pictures. I love your site. Like, really love it.
Thank you so much! You totally just made my night! If I had a site even half as amazing as yours I would be thrilled!
Hey there find your site via Pinterest and I just love this tutorial.. the pics and explanations are perfect 🙂 Xx
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you found it helpful!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I tried a recipe that was white chocolate with food coloring that I got online and it was a disaster! The coating would not stay on the apple and it just made a huge mess. All my supplies were wasted and in the trash. This however is great!! Thank you!!! A wonderful hit!
You are so welcome! I’m glad it worked well for you! I’ve tried using food coloring and melted chocolate before too and it really is disastrous!
To make ones with chocolate you need to dip them in caramel and let it set for a few minutes then dip them in chocolate and let it set. Also its best to buy the candy melts because they are already colored.
These candy apples blew my mind! So shiny and the colour was just amazing. I am inspired to try this! I have made caramel apples before but never candy apples.
Thank you! I’m glad you like them! I think they’re even easier to make then caramel apples 🙂 Let me know how they turn out if you try them!
Do you think a flavoring could be added? Like a grape or cinnamon extract?
You could try adding one in, just make sure to add it at the very end of cooking so that the flavor isn’t boiled out.
you say “knobby sticks” can be fun… for us uninformed could you tell us what “knobby sticks” are?
Hi William! By knobby sticks, I mean little branches with knots….to give them a little character for a Halloween or something of the like =)
These are wonderful all around! I love how simple yet elegant this dessert is. Plus, purple is my favorite color. Thanks for sharing at Saturday Night Fever. Pinned. 🙂
Thank you Laura!
These looked amazing so I tried to make them. I’m so sad to report that the syrup burned and the apples tasted awful. I had my candy thermometer and everything and took them off heat right at 290. Any tips?
Am I only one who noticed they’re out on the porch?
Hello I am so excited about trying these, can you tell me how to clean the pot afterwards. Will the candy be stuck to the pot. Also can I double this recipe?
Hi Kia! If you let hot water run over the pot it will melt away the candy as it washes over it. You should be able to double it….I haven’t done that but I don’t see why it would be a problem =)
I’m a little confused about the dipping part. It says to dip them all in, but then after that it says to wait and stir away the bubbles and dip again. So are we supposed to dip them all once quickly and then again after thirty seconds? Please explain, I’m making them this week for my daughters birthday. I’ve been so excited to try them. Your tutorial is beautiful and so are the pictures. Candy apples are a favorite of mine. I cannot wait to try them. If all goes well, I will be handing them out for Halloween! Love them!!
Hi Janice! The dipping after stirring the bubbles out is just a suggestion….stir the bubbles and then dip so that the overall finish is smoother =) You only need to dip once. Hope they work well for you!
Its it any kind of way you can make them flavored
You could probably add candy flavoring to the syrup at the end of cooking =)
Can you make light pink? We used Wilton’s pink and they look red? Did I use too much ?
Simplemente me parecen maravillosas. Trataré de hacerlas para la Presentación y 3 Años de mi Nieto. Espero me salgan bien. Muchas gracias por compartir la receta.
Hi I will like to know how to clean my apples make them wax free.
Boil the apples in hot water for about 10 seconds. Wait 24 to 48 hours before dipping. It works! Use white gel food coloring to get an opaque color.
Are you able to flavor the Candied Apples?
Im going to try making them tomorrow. will let you know how they come out.