Caramel Candy Apple Treats

Try these yummy candy apples this weekend. I added three recipes. Try one or try them all!* note instead of popsicle sticks try using chocolate and candy coated thick pretzel sticks.

Pistachio Chocolate Apples
1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (1-oz) square unsweetened chocolate( coarsely chopped)
6 medium red eating apples such as (Gala, Empire, or Red Delicious)
6 flat wooden Popsicle sticks
1 bar (1.4 oz) chocolate-covered toffee candy (chopped)
3 Tbsp chopped pistachios
In heavy 1-quart saucepan over low heat or microwave-safe bowl in microwave oven, melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Set aside. Place apples on a tray or plate. Remove stems if present and insert a stick into each through stem end. With teaspoon, spoon melted chocolate over each apple around the stick, letting excess drip down the apple. Sprinkle chocolate with toffee candy and pistachios. Refrigerate apples until chocolate is set.
Caramel Candied Apples
12 crisp apples (Gala, Empire, or Red Delicious)
1 1/3 cups dark corn syrup
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar( packed)
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 tsp vanilla
Line a baking sheet with lightly oiled parchment paper. Push a popsicle stick halfway through the core of each apple. Combine the syrup, sugars, heavy cream, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer until the mixture reaches 240˚. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Let cool for 8 to 10 minutes, until caramel thickens to a toffee like consistency. Dip the apples into the caramel and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cool completely.
Caramel Apples
12 crisp apples (Gala, Empire, or Red Delicious)
1 1/3 cups dark corn syrup
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
Line a baking pan with a generously oiled sheet of parchment paper. Push a candy apple stick into the core of each apple. Combine the syrup, sugars, heavy cream, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer until the mixture reaches 270 ˚about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the butter and vanilla. Let cool for 6 to 8 minutes, until caramel thickens to a toffeelike consistency. Dip and gently swirl the apples into the caramel and place on the prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely.

Enjoy, and don't tell your dentist, giggle.

Wordless Wednesday Cupcakes

It’s Tea Time

Tea parties have been in the news lately and Lady Gaga has single handedly made the tea cup and saucer a pop culture accessory. So, I’ve had tea on my brain. It’s already in my veins. I know I’ve written about teacup collecting in the past. But, today I’d like to share the joy of having a tea party. It’s a fun reason to dress up, get your friends together, and enjoy the delicious beverage that is TEA! I know coffee gets all the attention, flavored, frothy, foamy, latte, etc. But, today it’s all about tea!

Having a tea party is the perfect reason to bring out your fine china (why is it in your china cabinet?) Get dressed up and gather friends together. Tea is traditionally between 3pm and 6 pm. Keep in mind the later you have your party the bigger your meal should be. I prefer 3pm when finger sandwiches, cookies, scones with jam, fresh fruit, cheese, and cakes are perfect.

What you need to get your tea party ready for your guests ( these are just suggestions, use what you have):
Enthusiasm
Theme optional (themes are fun but not required. Just decide if it’s formal or informal)
Invitations (hand written send out about two weeks prior)
Fresh Flowers
Fine Linen
Tea Set with tea cups (borrow if you don’t have it, don't be afraid to mix and match)
Eating Utensils
Decorations; candles, theme, doilies, etc.
Tea ( if you don’t want to brew tea, have a selection of teas and fill the tea pot with boiling water)
Music (instrumental is nice)
Food (you decide, or use my suggestions above)
Parting gift *optional (I like to give tea cups (bought for the party) filled with candies, wrapped in colorful cello and tied with curling ribbon. It’s a nice way to end your party. Every time your friend drinks tea out of their cup they’ll remember your tea party.)

Set up your table about two hours before tea time and prepare your food. About 10 minutes before your guests arrive begin boiling the water and setting out the food. Once your guests arrive pour the boiling water into the teapot and let tea steep in the pot on the table. Serve and enjoy!

Please share your tea parties with me; I’d love to hear about them.




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Edible Snowmen, yummy

Edible Snowmen, Yummy!
Make Marshmallow Snowmen with your children and grandchildren!
What You Need
Marshmallows, Melted Caramels,Gingersnap Cookies
and Decorative elements :(sprinkles, royal icing, pretzel sticks, spice drops, fruit leather, food coloring and pink Cake Mate Decorations
Dip a marshmallow in melted caramel; place on a gingersnap. Put sprinkles over excess caramel. Halve a marshmallow for head and attach with royal icing. Insert pretzels in body.
Flatten a spice drop; attach another to form hat. Cut scarves and bow ties from fruit leather; tuck under head. Dye royal icing and pipe eyes, nose and buttons. Attach pink Decors for cheeks.

Make and Give Snowmen Cookies for the Holidays!
SNOWMAN COOKIES
Preheat oven to 350 F. Knead 2/3 cup of all-purpose flour into a 16 1/2-oz. roll of refrigerated sugar-cookie dough.
Tear off a piece of dough and roll it in your palms to form a 3/4-inch ball. Roll a slightly larger piece into a 1-inch ball, and a still slightly larger piece into a 1 1/4-inch ball. Repeat with remaining dough. Place 1 of each size ball close together on parchment-lined baking sheets; flatten balls slightly.
Bake cookies for 12 minutes. Cool on rack. Pipe frosting for scarves and to attach M&M's Minis buttons, mini-chocolate-chip eyes, snowflake sprinkles and Hershey's Kisses for hats.
Makes about 16