The candy apple: Sweetness with a dash of darkness

Somewhere in the dark recesses of my childhood memories, wedged between paper skeletons and pumpkin guts, lives the candy apple. You know the one – luridly red, glassy, and glossed with just a hint of menace. It wasn’t the type of treat you’d find in the grubby pillowcases we used as candy sacks. It was special, mythical even. Like an artifact found at the witching hour, demanding you eat it with both hands and half a heart.

You’d reach for that candy apple with caution, feeling the stickiness coat your fingers, knowing it was dangerous and not caring. The crisp snap of the shell, the bite of tart green apple underneath that gaudy candy armor – the contrast was addictive. A taste of fall, but also of something darker. There was no way around it. The candy apple was delicious in its deception. A trick and a treat in one.

And that’s where the story turns. Just think about Snow White, biting into that poisoned apple offered by the Evil Queen. A luscious, shiny, irresistible red orb that held promises of sweetness, hiding a brutal betrayal within. As kids, we were captivated by that forbidden, fruit-centric tale of beauty and poison, seduced by a villain who wielded candy like a weapon.

The candy apple taps into that same twisted vein of dark fairytales. It’s a reminder that innocence can be a mere glaze over danger. Sure, there’s no poison in a candy apple (not usually), but there’s still something slightly perverse about it. It’s an indulgence, a sugar-drenched temptation, balanced on the edge of the knife that could slice it.

And it was always the grown-ups who warned us about it, who fed us stories about strangers offering candy with strings attached. As if they hadn’t spent the past month handing us candy by the fistful and telling us to trust in the magic of Halloween. But that candy apple? It was always a little more than a treat. It was a dare.

Maybe that’s why we bit into it with all the excitement and thrill of Snow White herself.

Halloween candy apples!

Halloween Candy Apples are a spooky and sweet seasonal treat that combine crisp, juicy apples with a glossy, crunchy candy coating. Perfect for parties, trick-or-treaters, or festive fall gatherings, these classic candy apples add a pop of color and fun to any Halloween celebration. Easy to make and endlessly customizable with sprinkles, nuts, or drizzles, they’re a Halloween favorite that kids and adults alike will love!

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Canadian, Halloween

Keyword: Candy apple recipe, Classic candy apples, Easy candy apples, Halloween candy apples, Halloween treats, Homemade candy apples, How to make Halloween candy apples at home

Servings: 6 people

Equipment

• 1 Candy thermometer

Ingredients

• 12 green apples the smaller the better
• 12 popsicle sticks
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup water
• ½ teaspoon red colouring
• you will also need a candy thermometer

Instructions

• Wash and thoroughly dry the apples (waxy apples need a hot water wash). Insert the lollipop sticks or popsicle sticks so that they are firmly positioned in the apples. Set the apples aside on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper coated with cooking spray.
• Combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a boil and cook the mixture until a candy thermometer reaches 300ºF (the hard crack stage).
• Remove the candy mixture from the heat and carefully stir in the red food coloring (add more than the designated ½ teaspoon, depending on the quality and strength of your food coloring).
• One by one, carefully dip the apples into the candy mixture, swirling to coat them thoroughly and allowing any excess to drip back into the pan. Transfer the coated apples to the prepared cookie sheet and allow them to cool until the candy has fully hardened.