Halloween Poison Candy Apples
These glossy black-and-blue candy apples look like they came straight from a wicked queen’s kitchen, but they are much easier to make than they look. Tart Granny Smith apples and a crisp sugar shell create a spooky Halloween treat, because apparently regular apples were not dramatic enough.
EQUIPMENT (PAID LINKS)
- Clean kitchen towel
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Heavy-bottomed medium saucepan
- Heatproof spoon or spatula
- Candy thermometer
- Wooden candy-apple sticks
- Small bowl of ice water, optional
Ingredients
- 6 large Granny Smith apples
- 6 wooden candy-apple sticks or cleaned untreated food-safe twigs
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or as needed
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ¾ cup water
- ½ teaspoon blue gel food coloring
- ¼ teaspoon black gel food coloring
Instructions
- Clean the Apples: Wash the apples under hot running water while rubbing them with a clean kitchen towel. Dry them completely so the candy coating can stick properly.6 large Granny Smith apples
- Insert the Sticks: Remove the apple stems. Push one wooden candy-apple stick firmly into the center of each apple.6 wooden candy-apple sticks or cleaned
- Prepare the Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. If using parchment paper, lightly grease it with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- Combine the Candy Ingredients: Add the sugar, corn syrup, water, blue gel food coloring, and black gel food coloring to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is evenly colored.2 cups granulated sugar, ½ cup light corn syrup, ¾ cup water, ½ teaspoon blue gel food coloring, ¼ teaspoon black gel food coloring
- Attach the Thermometer: Clip the candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Make sure the tip is submerged in the syrup but does not touch the bottom of the pan.
- Boil the Syrup: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Once it begins boiling, stop stirring.
- Cook to Hard-Crack Stage: Continue boiling the syrup until it reaches 300°F. This may take about 15 to 20 minutes, but use the temperature rather than the cooking time to decide when it is ready.
- Test Without a Thermometer: Drop a small amount of syrup into a bowl of ice water. It should harden immediately, feel brittle, and crack when bent. You can also drizzle a little syrup from a fork; it should cool into firm, brittle strands.
- Coat the Apples: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Hold one apple by the stick and carefully dip it into the hot candy syrup. Tilt the saucepan and slowly rotate the apple until it is evenly coated.
- Drain the Excess: Lift the apple out of the syrup and allow the extra coating to drip back into the saucepan. Hold the apple upside down for a few seconds to prevent a thick puddle from forming at the bottom.
- Cool the Apples: Place the coated apple on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining apples, then let them cool completely until the candy shell is firm.
- Add a Second Coat if Needed: If an apple has bare spots or an unusually thin coating, gently reheat the remaining syrup over low heat and dip it again. Skip the second coat when the first layer already covers the apple evenly.
- Reheat the Syrup if Needed: If the candy syrup begins to harden before all the apples are coated, return the saucepan to low heat just until the mixture becomes fluid again.
- Store the Apples: Keep the finished apples in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in cellophane. Do not let them touch each other, and serve within two days for the best texture.