Everything was ready:
I had promised the boys the mini toffee apple bites I'd seen here. I'd heard rumours that you could melt down Werther's originals as a coating (if you could get past the mental block of that pervy advert). I was sure I could cobble this together. And then I chanced across Molly's post, and the cold finger of doubt crept across my kitchen. But a promise is a promise.
Now, I wouldn't exactly say they were a breeze, but they are very more-ish. That salty sweet thing gets me every time.
I melted a fifty fifty mix of hard and soft Werthers in a pan over a low heat. The hard ones I bashed a bit with a rolling pin to break them into smaller chunks first.
Then used a melon baller to scoop out chunks of apple and impaled them on a cocktail stick.
I couldn't get a nice thin even caramel layer to stick to the apples, so I drizzled it on (just like making one of those cheffy spun sugar nests - well, ish). This does have the advantage of making them slightly easier to bite too - otherwise you're left going 'obble obble' until you've sucked the caramel off the apple, which defeats the object somewhat.
They only take a little while to cool and harden on the baking mat.
And those boys had better be mighty impressed tomorrow.
They look really good, much better than the usual completetly covered ones.
And a much better use of werthers than the choking hazard they are when sucked!(there I go..worrying again..I know you like to live dangerously)
Posted by: Jackie | 31 October 2008 at 00:41
um, yeah, they'd better be impressed!
if not, i am. for sure.
happy halloween!
Posted by: kirsten | 31 October 2008 at 01:36
YUM!!! i don't think they will last long at all!
Posted by: soo | 31 October 2008 at 02:18
Well... I'm super impressed right now, if that counts.
Posted by: tracey petersen | 31 October 2008 at 08:03
Wow! they look amazing :)
Posted by: Toni-Ann Riley | 31 October 2008 at 08:10
wow!
Posted by: Lucy Locket-Pocket | 31 October 2008 at 08:16
That looks like the best possible use of Werthers. Hope they are appreciative of your efforts!
Posted by: Jo | 31 October 2008 at 08:23
Those look pretty darn impressive! I've been toying with the idea of doing the Martha Stewart caramel lady apples for years, but still haven't gotten up the nerve... K x
Posted by: kristina | 31 October 2008 at 08:23
I'm impressed... they look great with the drizzled coating.
Posted by: Gina | 31 October 2008 at 08:34
Well yummy!! I have been so flat out the last couple of weeks that my poor children have had to make do with bought sweeties. There are no complaints though - sugar is sugar after all! Now I'm craving toffee apples!
Posted by: Louise | 31 October 2008 at 09:40
Wow wow wow I am impressed! Neat idea but yeah so with you on the Werthers advert ;)
Posted by: Rebecca | 31 October 2008 at 10:51
They look great - you know your boys will love them!!
Posted by: Karen J | 31 October 2008 at 10:56
Wow these look amazing. I know what you mean about the advert.
Posted by: Cele | 31 October 2008 at 11:24
The spun sugar idea is genius!
Posted by: dottycookie | 31 October 2008 at 12:37
Wow! These are like little works of art! I hope your boys not only enjoy eating them but appreciate them for the objects of beauty that they are!
Frances
Posted by: frances | 31 October 2008 at 14:04
Wow!! They look amazing Ali, fantastic job. I'm sure the boys will love them. Am adding them to my list of things I can attempt when we return to live in UK in December - toffee apples are impossible in our humidity!
Posted by: Victoria Leather | 31 October 2008 at 14:20
Hi Ali - sorry about my very short comment earlier! I had clicked on your blog to leave a comment and then looked at the clock and panicked because I was running late and it was my first day going solo in the office! What I wanted to say was WOW!!!! They look incredible!
Lucy x
Posted by: lucy locket | 31 October 2008 at 14:44
They look really good I love your descriptions - 'obble and cheffy
Posted by: Thimbleina | 31 October 2008 at 15:49
Wow! They look fabulous! Well done you. x
Posted by: Kitty | 31 October 2008 at 18:37
I'm impressed! There is a lot of swirly caramel going on there!
Posted by: simone | 31 October 2008 at 21:57
ooh I love werthers origional, despite the advert! ;o)
They look rather lovely with their spun sugar appearance, bet the kids will be very impressed!
Posted by: Bev | 31 October 2008 at 22:49
Ooo they look great! I think you should have a posh dinner party instead :) Yum
Posted by: sarah | 01 November 2008 at 10:49
Melted Werthers originals - a genius idea!
These have turned out really well - hope the boys appreciated them. They look so much prettier than the normal sort with the swirly coating
Posted by: Sophie | 01 November 2008 at 15:29
They are indeed works of art. But I'm not sure that my teeth would be up to them, so it's as well you're not offering me any. But beautiful as photos and, you know, sort of healthy too.
Posted by: Isabelle | 01 November 2008 at 22:45
They look fabulous! The nesty look is just perfect.
Posted by: Fairlie | 02 November 2008 at 01:32
Well, I'm impressed - they look very artistic. Whenever I buy sweets for culinary enterprises, though, they tend to disappear before my will to enter the kitchen appears. Many a chocolate chip never survived long enough to make it into a cookie...
Posted by: Lil' d | 02 November 2008 at 06:08
Such a talented mother ... sigh...
Your boys are going to suffer from idyllic childhood syndrome as adults.
Posted by: Alice C | 02 November 2008 at 07:25
Well if they aren't - I certainly am! Wow - they look fab.
Posted by: lazylol | 02 November 2008 at 09:24
Those look amazing! I might just have to make them for my girls...
Posted by: Alexis | 03 November 2008 at 00:53
They look really pretty - I love the way you've swirled the caramel. Hope the boys were suitably impressed :-)
xxx
Posted by: Lesley | 03 November 2008 at 20:23
Yummy. What patience!
Posted by: lina | 03 November 2008 at 21:34
I'm impressed tonight!
Posted by: blackbird | 04 November 2008 at 02:58
they look better than the fully coated ones--high class carmel apples! well done.
Posted by: meg | 04 November 2008 at 03:54
Oh wow, they look amazing - nice little bite sized alternatives to the traditional toffee apple.
Posted by: Zoe | 04 November 2008 at 13:03
ok whats the secret that melon balled ones are all green and round and the other blogs are all "goofy" looking????
Yours look awesome! found your pic on Pinterest
Posted by: marcie | 07 August 2011 at 03:49
I love this recipe and blog...I posted it on my community foodie blog. Hope you can come check it out http://www.facebook.com/thefrenchiefoodie
Also, feel free to post you're recipes or you're favourite foodie tips on it whenever you like!
Posted by: Charlotte Ferreux | 06 October 2011 at 04:55
How do you drizzle the caramel on?
Posted by: Emma | 13 October 2011 at 04:11
I know this is an old post how did you keep the apples from browning? I would like to do this for my daughters party so thank you in advance.
Posted by: Tiffany | 19 October 2011 at 05:44
Tiffany- I don't know what she used, but have you heard of "fresh fruit"? It is usually found with the canning supplies. I always use that when I don't want my fruit to turn brown.
Posted by: Jessica | 20 October 2011 at 03:02
These look delicious! And the mini size is much better for the kids. Just thought I would let you know I featured these on my blog today:)
http://www.justthebeesknees.com/2011/10/forget-tricksgimmie-treats.html
Posted by: Sarah @ Just The Bee's Knees | 25 October 2011 at 17:30
Those are really lovely. I love the nest technique you used for the caramel.
Posted by: Lily | 09 November 2011 at 18:52
How do you have the apples looking so green? Also how do you prevent the apples fromgoing green. These look fabulous!
Posted by: Pat Ramage | 31 December 2011 at 17:54
Sorry I meant the apples from going brown. I guess I am so excited to try these!
Posted by: Pat Ramage | 31 December 2011 at 17:56
These look soooo yummy!
Posted by: Monica | 26 September 2012 at 03:46
For those wondering about how to keep the apples from turning brown, the word on the street is to put a bit of lemon juice on the exposed inside of the apple. :) hope that helps. :)
Posted by: millerbaby | 06 November 2012 at 18:48
I've tried these before and could never get the caramel to stick can't wait to use both caramels! I never had a problem with the melted chocolate just the caramel, it seems to only stick to the part of the apple that has the skin. I love the drizzled look much better.
Posted by: Marci Hasson | 19 February 2013 at 01:12
Also lemon juice does keep apples from turning brown, my daughter's pre-k teacher did it all the time. I've also read that you can soak the apples in sprite.
Posted by: Marci Hasson | 19 February 2013 at 01:14