How to make THE BEST caramel apples EVER!:

1 pound dark brown sugar (about 2 cups packed brown sugar)
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon molasses
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 medium sized apples
Popsicle sticks or chopsticks
assorted toppings for dipping (toffee bits, chopped nuts, coconut, crushed cookies or candy bars, etc.)
Optional: melted chocolate in zip-top bags
CLIP ON CANDY THERMOMETER ( you have to have one to make caramel)

1. Wash and dry the apples, stick popsicle sticks in the core and set on a baking sheet in fridge. Prepare your toppings in bowls.
   
   
2. To prepare caramel: combine first 8 ingredients in nonstick saucepan (about 3-4 inches deep). Stir with wooden spoon over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves (no crystals are felt when caramel is rubbed between fingers) This should take about 15 minutes.
3.  Attach a clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook caramel to a boil until thermometer registers 248°F, stirring constantly with spatula and occasionally scraping down sides of pan. Boil at 248°F for 12 minutes. 
   
4.  Pour caramel into a bowl.  Make sure its shallow and not too wide, so it's easier to get a lot of caramel on the apple. Submerge thermometer bulb in caramel.  Cool for about 20 minutes or until it cools to 200°F.  If it cools too much just heat it up a little.
   
5. While the caramel cools, line baking sheets with buttered foil or wax paper. 
6.  Holding stick, dip 1 apple into 200°F caramel, submerging all but very top of apple. Lift apple out, allowing excess caramel to drip back into bowl. Turn apple caramel side up and hold for several seconds to help set caramel around apple.  If needed, gently scrape the bottom of the apple to remove excess caramel.
   
   Place coated apple on prepared baking sheet.   
7. Repeat with remaining apples and caramel, spacing apples apart (caramel will pool a bit on foil). If caramel is too thick to dip into, heat in microwave for a few seconds, or add 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream and whisk caramel in bowl over low heat to thin. By the time you have dipped all the apples, the first ones should be ready partially set enough to add toppings.  If not, chill in fridge for a few minutes.  Lift 1 apple from foil. Using hand, press pooled caramel around apple.  Then firmly press decorations into the caramel and return to baking sheet.
   If desired dip caramel-coated apples into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off, then roll in nuts or candy. Or drizzle melted chocolate over caramel-coated apples and sprinkle with decorations. Chill until decorations are set, about 1 hour. Cover; chill up to 1 week or wrap in cellophane bags for gift giving.

Decorated apples :)

Happy Fall Y'all!

I wrapped my decorated apples in cellophane bags and ribbon, added a little gift tag on them and gave them away to couples in our apartment complex. It was so much fun!