Gourmet Double Dipped Chocolate and Toffee Caramel Apples
These treats are sweet, with an outer coating of milk and white chocolate, crunchy toffee bits, and smooth caramel. Finished with a tart center from the crisp Granny Smith apples, the combination is perfection.
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Servings: 6
Equipment
- 6-8 craft sticks
- 1 sheet parchment paper/wax paper
- Baking sheet
- Medium pot
- Medium microwave-safe/glass bowl, to melt the caramels
- Two medium glass bowls; one to melt the milk-chocolate & one to melt the white chocolate
- Bowl or plate, for the toffee pieces
- Spatula(s)
- Two butter knives
- Piping bag and tip or ziplock bag
Ingredients
- 6-8 small-medium Granny Smith apples washed and dried
- 50 pieces soft caramels, such as Kraft or Werther's Originals unwrapped
- 2 tbsp water (to add to caramels)
- 1 tbsp butter
- water to fill double-boiler, half way
- 10 oz milk-chocolate melting wafers, such as Ghirardelli
- 4 oz white chocolate, such as Baker's
- 1-2 cups English toffee bits, such as Heath
Instructions
Prep
- Wash and dry the apples. Refrigerate the apples until chilled, about an hour.
- Insert a craft stick into the core of the apple, down through the stem. Push down until it is halfway down the apple. (Remove the stems by twisting, before inserting the craft stick.)
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with a thin layer of butter.
- Unwrap the caramels. Place in a microwave-safe/glass bowl. Add 2 tbsp water.
Dip the Apples in Caramel
- Microwave the caramels and 2 tbsp water until smooth and melted, heating in small intervals; stir in between intervals. Start with 45 seconds; stir. Then, 30 seconds; stir. Reduce time to 10-15 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth and melted.
- Hold the craft stick and dip each apple, one at a time. Swirl in the caramel to coat the apple. Hold the stick upright, allow the excess caramel to drip off. Use a butter knife to scrape the bottom of the apple. Scrape the end of the knife on the edge of the bowl. Place the apples on the buttered parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Work quickly! You will notice the caramel starting to harden the longer it sits and it will be more challenging to coat the apples.
- Once the apples are coated in caramel and placed on the parchment-lined baking sheet, place them in the refrigerator. Allow apples to chill approximately 5-10 minutes, or until caramel is firm.
Dip the Apples in Milk-Chocolate
- Make a double-boiler. Fill a medium pot with water, about halfway. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Place a medium bowl on top of the pot.
- Place 10 oz milk chocolate melting wafers in the bowl. Keep on low heat. The chocolate will start to melt. Stir frequently, until the chocolate is completely melted. Turn off heat.
- Remove the apples from the refrigerator. Dip each apple, one at a time, into the chocolate. You may dip half of the apple, or dip up to the top of the apple, right under the line of the caramel. Holding the stick upright, swirl the apple at a slight angle so the excess chocolate may drip off. Use a butter knife to scrape off the excess chocolate on the bottom of the apple.
- Place the milk chocolate-coated apples on the parchment paper-lined sheet. Return to the refrigerator. Chill slightly, a minute or two. The chocolate should be soft enough to dip into the toffee pieces. (Caution - if the chocolate is too firm, the toffee pieces won't stick.)
Dip the Apples in Toffee Bits
- Add toffee pieces to a plate or small bowl. Remove apples from the refrigerator.
- Gently dip each apple, one at a time, into the toffee pieces. Coat as far up the apple as you would like. Gently press pieces into the chocolate, if needed. Return the apples to the parchment-lined sheet.
- Place apples in the refrigerator to chill, approximately 5 minutes.
Top the Apples with White Chocolate
- Return pot to burner. Remove the bowl used for the milk chocolate. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
- Place 4 oz white chocolate in the second medium bowl and place on pot. Keep on low heat. The chocolate will start to melt. Stir frequently, until the chocolate is completely melted. Turn off heat. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly, a few minutes.
- Prepare your piping bag with a tip, with a small opening. Or, you may use a Ziplock bag, cutting a small hole in the corner after you have poured in the chocolate.
- Pour the chocolate into the piping bag (use your finger to cover the opening of the tip). Or, pour into a Ziplock bag, seal, and then invert and cut a small hole into one of the bottom corners.
- Remove apples from the refrigerator. Leave on the sheet. Quickly make zig-zags across the tops of the apples with the chocolate. Repeat in the opposite direction. Return apples to the refrigerator to completely firm up.
Notes
Tip - If possible, use organic apples. Conventional apples will have a wax coating, which may inhibit the caramel from sticking when dipped. However, conventional apples can be washed with a fruit/vegetable wash to remove the waxy coating.
The apples may be stored as-is, in the refrigerator, until ready to be displayed or eaten. You may also individually wrap the apples in cellophane bags and tie them with a ribbon for a party favor or gift.
Set apples at room temperature, for about 30 minutes, before eating, so the caramel may soften up a bit.