Ingredients:

  • 6 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp recommended) (~600g)
  • 6 wooden sticks or skewers
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (~15ml)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (~400g)
  • 1 cup water (~240ml)
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup (~120ml)
  • 1 teaspoon red food coloring (gel food coloring is best) (~5ml)
  • 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (~2.5ml)

Instructions:

  1. Wash apples thoroughly. Remove stems. Insert wooden sticks firmly into the stem end of each apple. Dip apples in lemon juice and water to prevent browning. Pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  3. In the heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, water, and corn syrup.
  4. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, stop stirring.
  5. Insert candy thermometer into the mixture. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 300-310°F (149-154°C) (hard-crack stage).
  6. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
  7. Stir in red food coloring and apple cider vinegar. Be careful - it might bubble.
  8. Working quickly, dip each apple into the candy mixture, rotating to coat evenly. Lift the apple, allowing excess candy to drip off.
  9. Place the dipped apple on the prepared baking sheet.
  10. Let the candy apples cool completely until the candy coating is hard and set (about 30 minutes).