There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about making Toffee Apples. The glossy red coating, that satisfying crunch, and the sticky fingers that follow – it’s a recipe that brings out the kid in all of us!
I absolutely love making them, but I’ll be honest – they’re not for the faint of heart. The bubbling hot sugar syrup can be dangerous if you’re not careful, so please take this as your friendly kitchen PSA: be extra cautious when cooking with boiling toffee.
I’ve had my fair share of burns to prove it!
That said, Toffee Apples are surprisingly simple to make and such a fun project for a crisp autumn day, a school fete, or a Halloween treat.
The sweet smell of caramelised sugar wafting through the kitchen is pure bliss. If you’re new to candy-making, grab a helper – it’s the perfect excuse to get the kids watching (from a safe distance!) while you work your magic.
How to Make Toffee Apples
15
servings15
minutes10
minutes300
kcal25
minutesCrunchy apples coated in golden, sticky toffee, perfect for a sweet treat or festive snack.
Keep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
15 Sticks
15 small Apples – Red Delicious are the best, washed and dried well
4 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
0.5 tsp Cream of Tartar
2 tsp Red liquid food colouring -(optional – you can just leave them toffee coloured if you wish!)
Directions
- Push a stick into the middle of each apple from the top (ie place the stick where the apple was connected to the tree).
- Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Place sugar and water into a heavy-based saucepan over low heat.
- Cook, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring.
- Bring to the boil.
- Using a wet pastry brush, brush away sugar crystals on sides of saucepan above syrup.
- Stir in cream of tartar and food colouring very carefully (it can spit!).
- Reduce heat to low.
- Simmer toffee for 20 minutes or until it reaches hard crack stage. To check if it has reached this stage, add 1 teaspoon of toffee to a glass of ice-cold water.
- Remove solidified toffee from water and bend it.
- The toffee should crack easily and not feel sticky.
- Once toffee is at this stage, remove from heat immediately.
- Wait until toffee stops bubbling then dip 1 apple into toffee.
- Tip pan on an angle to coat apple in toffee, especially around stick.
- Place onto prepared baking tray.
- Repeat with remaining apples.
- Allow to set at room temperature.
- Wrap in cellophane and tie with a pretty ribbon. Great for Fetes or birthday parties!
- Recipe Hints and Tips:
- Toffee Apples are not suitable to freeze.
I get what you’re saying, and yeah, those cases where people meet as adults can explain why the attraction happens.…